Too Many Cooks! Mustard edition.

This past Sunday we explored the art of the world most popular condiment at our mustard-centric Too Many Cooks! It was an exciting evening featuring mustard themed slam poetry, improvised scenes from mustard history, and a mustard infused Shakespeare performance. If that wasn't enough mustard fun we also hosted a delicious mustard tasting and offered a hands on workshop for creating homemade mustard masterpieces!

Needless to say good times were had.

A few random mustard facts from the evening for those of you who couldn't make it:

• Canada produces about 90 percent of the world's supply of mustard seed
• The Mustard Club was formed in England in 1926 to tout the spice's healing qualities through consuming and bathing.
• In one year at New York's Yankee Stadium more than 1,600 gallons plus 2,000,000 individual packets of mustard are consumed.
• Pope John XXII of Avignon (1249-1334) loved mustard so much that he created the post of “Grand Moutardier du Pape” (Mustard-Maker to the Pope), and gave the job to an idle nephew who lived near Dijon.

Next time you're at a get together and they happen to be serving mustard just casually toss out one of those gems. You'll be the highlight of the party. Guaranteed.

Also in case you're wondering how in the heck we taught people to make mustard in the comfort of their own homes here's a simple recipe that will get you started on the road to mustard success.

Ingredients
2tsp mustard flour
2 tsp cool water
1/8 cup mustard seeds (yellow, brown or a delightful mix)
¼ c vinegar (white, apple cider, red wine, balsamic, etc.)
¼ c additional liquid ingredient (wine, beer, water, cranberry juice, etc.)
1tsp salt
Various spices, herbs, extra ingredients (honey, brown sugar, wasabi, Tabasco, etc. Be creative!)

• In a medium sized dish (avoid using aluminum containers as they will react oddly with the mustard) mix mustard flour and water.

• Add mustard seeds, vinegar, other liquids, salt and spices and additional ingredients. Mix well. At this point your mixture will not resemble mustard just yet, it will look very much like seeds floating in liquid. Do not be alarmed, your mustard simple needs time.

• Let sit in an air tight container at room temperature for 5-10 days. The flavors in your mustard will mellow over time. Refrigeration will halt the mellowing process. Mustards containing perishable ingredients should be left un-refrigerated for a shorter amount of time.

• Since mustard’s pungency is caused by a chemical reaction do not be tempted to speed up the process by cooking. Heating your mustard will cause it to lose flavor.

• Once your mustard has achieved the flavor you desire, blend using food processor to reach optimal consistency (a blender works just fine).

• Homemade mustards can be refrigerated up to two months.

Happy mustard making and thanks again to everyone who helped make this event a success!