MUSTARD

I can pretty much eat anything that is finished with a squeeze of citrus, doused with a bit of vinegar, or sauced with some kind of mustard (and cream). I think mustard is a genius concoction with tremendous versatility that only a true foodie can really appreciate. Now, I understand that mustard is not everybody's cup of tea (to mix metaphors), so no need to start piling on the criticisms!

But, I am housesitting for a co-worker and I literally started to salivate when she opened a cupboard and inside were 2 unopened 17 oz jars of Pommery Moutard de Meaux -- and another half used one in the fridge! I tried to bribe her into selling me one of the unopened jars, but she wouldn't budge (has friends that bring it back to her every time they go to France) -- and she hardly cooks!! I am at liberty to use the open jar while I am here. Not having access to my own kitchen, I'm going to need to be creative with finding and using herbs and spices. I will go to the nearby market and Trader Joe's for the main stuff. While I was surfing the net for ideas I ran across the Mustard Museum/Mustard of the Month Club. Any of you familiar? Anybody join? What do you really get for your money? Also, if you have ideas for using Pommery -- post them HERE!

Thx, Jo
Giddy in Ballard

[Jenise]

I am not familiar with your Pommery, what makes it so special? Would love to know.

And I'm a mustard fan, too. Because I am, however, also a fan of not clogging my fridge with too many little open jars, I don't buy many and most of the time would not have more than two others around besides Dijon and good old baseball mustard, which I can eat by the spoonful. I love it. The "other two" I have right now are quite interesting. One's a pale white-yellow, creamy and full of caramelized onion bits. I bought it at a farm stall on the road between Wenatchee and Leavinworth. It makes an excellent salad dressing base. The other is one I buy in Canada, and has become a staple I cannot imagine my kitchen without. It's a green French mustard full of pureed tarragon. Oh my, is it good!

As for application, 90% of the mustard in my house ends up as the aforementioned salad dressing base or as a flavorful means of aglutinating dry crumbs of some kind to wet meats.

As a teen, I loved mustard sandwiches. Yes, two pieces of bread, spread with yellow mustard. Now, I stick with Dijon and Gulden's Spicy Brown Mustard for sandwiches, salad dressings and marinades. However, there is always way too many in my refrigerator, because I received mustard as gifts, one year. I am using a pineapple one right now that is very good. I like to try them in vinaigrettes. I'm working my way through the supply of interesting flavors. I don't make mustard sandwiches, anymore!

Jenise, I must remember your comment about not clogging my fridge with too many little and opened bottles...good advice. Sub Zeros have limited depth, and my top shelf if filled with condiments.

Pommery is a rich, dark, grainy French mustard that is one of the earliest commercial condiment histories. I first had it with pate (or maybe rillette) when I was in France. It was spectacular -- rich, but smooth and mild on the tongue.

No expert on this - despite living in 'the village that Colmans built' (I'm guessing you get Colmans mustard internationally).

I do think it works well in a sauce for Pork (but also a few other meats). I'd have it more as an accent, but Mustard is something where we all have our different preferred levels of concentration and bite. Yours will have the advantage of the grainy texture adding interest to the sauce.

regards

Ian

Big fan of Dijon style moutarde even if the mustard they make it with is mostly grown here in Canada.

Particularly like the grainy kind when making a ham and emmenthal panini!

Not much of a fan of the 'baseball' mustard (maybe partly because I have never endured a baseball game as a spectator). OK on dogs.

Sorry, I've not heard of Pommery Moutard de Meaux either.

My current mustard inventory is:
French's Yellow
Hebrew National Deli mustard
Grey Poupon Dijon, country style and regular
Zatarain's Creole
Silver Spring Chipotle (which I mix with mayo for my special sauce for chicken burgers)

I've seen Pommery in grocery stores just about forever, but I've never bought any.

I've seen Pommery quite often in supermarkets.

Coleman's is indeed distributed internationally. I have a small tin of Coleman's dried, ground mustard that I use mainly for mixing up Chinese-style mustard to accompany egg rolls, Cantonese roast pork, and spare ribs.

-Paul W.

Colman's is a staple, used for any kind of sausage, hot dog, pastrami etc. and as an ingredient in any mix or marinade that needs some 'bite'.

When we're feeling flush, we get the Fallot & Cie. Not a grainy one, it's more like the Grey Poupon in appearance. Great flavor, though, and it comes in a groovy re-usable tin.

I'm with Linda, though my selection is even more limited. Grey Poupon, Frenches yellow, and Coleman's English hot. That said, I'll try almost anything as long as it's not sweet.

My most frequent purchases over the years have been nine pound tins of Maille Dijon and ten pound canisters of Coleman's. I also like Zatarain's.

My most frequent purchases over the years have been nine pound tins of Maille Dijon and ten pound canisters of Coleman's. I also like Zatarain's.

Wow, Chef. I thought I liked mustard!

My most frequent purchases over the years have been nine pound tins of Maille Dijon and ten pound canisters of Coleman's. I also like Zatarain's.

I really like the Maille Dijon mustard too Joseph, but never had 9 pounds of it at once. I keep a 6 or 8 ounce tin of the dry Colemans on hand for various mixtures, but really like to use it in my dry rubs. Someday I am going to mix some into a paste and use it to slather either a pork loin roast, or a butt end of a ham. Of course either would be cooked on the Kamado. Today on the Kamado is a young hair sheep shoulder roast that is resting until about 2 hours before I put it on the grill. I have it covered in a commercial (Tones) rosemary and garlic rub....should be good, or at least I hope it is good. I will serve the potatoes that Randy P reported on (here) back on 6/9/09.

I really like the Maille Dijon mustard too Joseph, but never had 9 pounds of it at once. I keep a 6 or 8 ounce tin of the dry Colemans on hand for various mixtures, but really like to use it in my dry rubs. Someday I am going to mix some into a paste and use it to slather either a pork loin roast, or a butt end of a ham. Of course either would be cooked on the Kamado. Today on the Kamado is a young hair sheep shoulder roast that is resting until about 2 hours before I put it on the grill. I have it covered in a commercial (Tones) rosemary and garlic rub....should be good, or at least I hope it is good. I will serve the
potatoes that Randy P reported on (here) back on 6/9/09.

You are on the right track here, Bob. I make a paste of rosemary, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, cracked peppercorns, olive oil and mustard and slather on my pork loin that I cook over coals and apple wood. Then I serve it with a 3 mustard sauce that is a reduction of butter, beef broth, Dijon, Creole mustard, stone ground mustard, chili garlic paste and cream (YUM). For the ham I make a glaze of brown sugar and mustard, chutney (either hot mango, apple, pear, etc.) and apricot jam or marmalade made into a paste in the food processor or blender. I brush on during the last 30-45 minutes of smoking, and serve the rest along side as a sauce alternative. People can never figure the flavor of this one out because of the slight tang and spiciness of the chutney.

Regarding Coleman's - I like to make a mustard using Coleman's mixed with just enough beer to make a spreadable paste. Great on hot dogs, burgers, etc.

Our everyday mustard is Roland Extra Strong Dijon. We can get it for $2 at Odd Lots, and go through 13 oz bottle every two or three weeks. We slather it on all sorts of sausages, loins of pork, and much else. It also goes into salad dressing, and true love likes to put it on hamburgers. For dry mustard we used Coleman's for years, but have switched to Penseys'.

Big fan of Dijon style moutarde even if the mustard they make it with is mostly grown here in Canada.

Particularly like the grainy kind when making a ham and emmenthal panini!

Not much of a fan of the 'baseball' mustard (maybe partly because I have never endured a baseball game as a spectator). OK on dogs.

Pretty much the same with me. Since I don't willingly eat hot dogs, my only use for the yellow stuff is on soft pretzels. Anything with vinegar in it is OK in my book, though.

Mark Lipton

Count me as a mustard head

We currently have Pommery de Meaux*, Maille Dijon (though I also like Fallot), Kosciusko (what I like on dogs and wurst), a couple of gifted little jars of honey or horseradish flavored, plus the yellow stuff (for kids at parties). Plus Colman's in pantry.

* you can buy now, but in past I had to get brought in from France, I think there were punitive tariffs that have been recently lowered)/

[Robin Garr]

My most frequent purchases over the years have been nine pound tins of Maille Dijon and ten pound canisters of Coleman's. I also like Zatarain's.

Interesting ... I keep both Maille and Zatarain's on hand regularly, although not in restaurant quantities, obviously. Gulden's Spicy Brown for everyday sandwiches, and a little can of Colman's (dry form) in the Freezer to keep the critters dormant.

I've never seen the Zatarain's. Is it some type of Cajun spiced mustard?

[Robin Garr]

I've never seen the Zatarain's. Is it some type of Cajun spiced mustard?

An iconic New Orleans brand of specialty foods, spices and flavors. The mustard is stone-ground, spicy and very good, but it's not a "specialty mustard" in terms of having unusual ingredients or flavors added.