Dishes given a warming bite

Mustard brings a pleasant warmth and bite when added to a variety of savoury dishes, perfect for pepping up autumn suppers

MUSTARD IS A condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant, which are mixed ground or whole with liquids including water, vinegar, lemon juice and wine, with added flavourings and spices, to create a paste. It ranges in colour from bright yellow, as in English mustard, to creamy Dijon mustard and brownish French mustard.

Commonly paired with meats and cheeses, it adds a sharp tang to sandwiches and is also an ingredient in many dressings and glazes. The ‘heat’ of mustard varies by seed type. Those of the white mustard plant, Sinapis alba, are less strong than seeds of black mustard, Brassica nigra, and brown mustard, Brassica juncea. Using warm rather than cold water in the mix also produces a milder taste. Because of its antibacterial properties and acidity, mustard does not require refrigeration.

A recipe for mustard appears in a Roman cookbook dating from circa the early 5th century, and its name originates from their mixing of unfermented grape juice, the must, with ground mustard seeds to make burning must, or ‘mustum ardens’, which was shortened to must-ard. It was exported to Gaul, and Dijon became the centre of mustard making by the 13th century. Accounts detail guests consuming 320 litres of mustard creme at a gala held by the Duke of Burgundy in 1336.

The 1390 book The Forme of Cury, written by King Richard II’s master cook, refers to stored balls of dried coarse-ground seed, flour and cinnamon to be combined with vinegar or wine when needed. The town of Tewkesbury, in Gloucestershire, was well known for its high-quality mustard balls, and English mustard is stronger than many other mustards.

The most famous brand is Colman’s of Norwich, which first produced its variety in 1814, as a powder in the instantly recognisable yellow tin.