Visiting the National Mustard Museum

A week or so ago on a lovely winter day filled with sunshine and warmer temperatures, my husband and I traveled to Middleton, Wisconsin to visit the National Mustard Museum.  I had referenced the museum on my Herb of the Week post about Mustard Seed and this spurred a road trip!

We like traveling in Wisconsin especially around Madison and this museum is located on the northwest side of the city in a town called Middleton about 2 hours from us.  There were a few nice places to eat, a museum in a restored depot and a great atmosphere in the town on a Sunday morning.

When we arrived at the museum we were greeted by "Mrs. Mustard" Patti Levenson, the wife of the curator Barry Levenson.  She gave us a great overview and suggested the way to do the tour.  Now as a museum professional I generally am not thrilled by commercial, private collection museums, they tend to make everything including the collection for sale which sets up the wrong vibe for me.  However, this was nothing like what I had feared.  The commercial space on the first floor was that, but it also paid homage to the building it was located in, a restored former mercantile as well as supported the theme - mustard.  The museum located downstairs was not cramped or fussy, although it was rather yellow -- mustard yellow!



We started with the video which loops so you can watch the whole thing no matter when you enter.  It was a great piece, older but not so old you got distracted and could not appreciate the wealth of information it provided.  The best part of the video was this demonstration of a recipe made in a traditional bistro in the Dijon region of France.  This recipe of roasted chicken in a mustard cream sauce was the epitome of the history of mustard in that region.  It is named after the man instrumental in making Dijon famous.  When we concluded our tour and while shopping I was given a copy of the recipe which I share below.

The museum displayed jars and bottles of mustard from all over the world.  The focus was distinctly North American, but since Canada is one of the largest producers of Mustard Seed for the world, this makes a great deal of sense. 

An interesting tidbit I learned while viewing the video was that Coleman's Mustard was the first company to use modern techniques of advertising to get consumers to buy their product.  That is probably why I recognized the items in this case, because every museum I ever worked for had a least one container of Coleman's mustard in the household collection and now I know why!

Coleman's Mustard - recognize this?!

My favorite part of the displays was the Mustard Condiment Jars.  There were cases of them, crystal and ceramic and everything in between.  I imagined making my own mustard and serving them to guests in these great old-fashioned jars!

After a tour around the museum we enjoyed the shop.  I think we spent equal time in the store as we did viewing the museum displays and videos.  Mrs. Mustard and the staff were gracious and cordial and they love mustard.  We were not the only ones there, but I sometimes felt I had the staff's undivided attention.

Mustard Pots

The store was nicely organized and had all types of mustard related items.  I obtained a great cookbook I know I will share recipes from in the future.  There as also a Koop's Mustard ring toss and the only mustard vending machine I have ever seen filled with local mustard from Eau Claire, Wisconsin!

Any mustard in the store can be sampled.  They encourage you to shop and bring your items to the testing table where you can try each one before you buy.  And the range of items varies from sweet to very spicy.  You can find a mustard to suit anyone's palette.  I shared a tarragon mustard recipe in my blog post at the end of last month.  We were able to obtain a tarragon mustard while there and as Mrs. Mustard said.  "It takes much less time to enjoy this than start from scratch."

She introduced us to some flavors I might never have tried including  a Walnut Dijon that we have since made into a vinaigrette per her suggestion.  (See a variation of her recipe below.)

In Wisconsin, not far from my husband's family is the Huntsinger Farms where they grow horseradish.  We drive by it all the time and I must say mustard and horseradish are a wonderful paring.  The store contained numerous varieties combining mustard and horseradish and we tried several of them before settling on one with a sweet aftertaste that I wanted to use on potatoes and Mrs. Mustard convinced my husband would be a great addition to his savory crepe recipe.  We went home with Slimm and Nunne Habanero Horseradish Mustard and the plan to get more come Christmas to go with our annual crepe gifts to family.  My husband also obtained a Beet Mustard combo that he plans to put in the savory crepes with chicken.

The best thing about being able to taste all the mustards is I now know the quality and variety that I can get from the shop and know that even if I do not want to drive to Middleton I can order from them online at the website.

It was the most wonderful day and a most pleasant visit to the National Mustard Museum.  And snacking on what we purchased that day is still a heavenly experience days later.  I recommend that you take the time to stop by if you are ever in Wisconsin.

As promised, here are the RECIPES:

Savory Mustard Crepes (courtesy of the National Mustard Museum)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbls. Slimm and Nunne Habanero Horseradish Mustard

Place eggs, water, flour and mustard in a blender and whir until smooth.  Transfer to a bowl.  Place a medium non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat.  Melt butter until hot but not smoking.  Ladle about 1/4 cup of the mustard batter on the skillet and level it by titling and rolling the skillet to create a thin layer over the pan.  Cook until set and slightly brown, about 40 seconds, then flip and finish the second side, about another 20 seconds.  remove to a warm plate and continue until batter is used.  This recipe will make about 6 crepes.  You can serve them rolled with cheese, filled with cooked sausage or chicken and topped with salsa or plain with a bit of sour cream.

Walnut Mustard Vinaigrette
Here is our variation of a Walnut mustard vinaigrette.  Mrs. Mustard serves a similar recipe (using walnut oil) over salad greens, pears slices, toasted walnuts, cranberries and blue cheese.

4 Tbls Grape oil
2 Tbls. herbed Chardonnay wine (see this post for directions)
1 Tbls. Walnut Dijon Mustard
1/2 Tbls. honey
salt & pepper to taste

Mix the dressing in a small lidded jar and shake well until combined.  The dressing can keep 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator and is always best the second day.

Poulet Gaston Gerard (courtesy of the National Mustard Museum)
(Chicken in Mustard Cream sauce)

1 frying chicken, cut up
       seasoned with salt, pepper and paprika
2 Tbls. unsalted butter
1 bay leaf
1 spring of thyme (about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dry)
2 Tbls. dry white wine
1 cup Creme fraiche or heavy cream
2 Tbls. Dijon mustard (the museum recommends La Musette which they stock)
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Dry the chicken pieces and season with salt, pepper and paprika.  Shea a saute pan to medium high heat and melt the butter.  Brown the chicken on both sides, then reduce the heat to medium-low.  Add the bay leaf and thyme and cook, covered, about 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is done, but still moist, turning at least once.

Preheat the boiler,  remove the chicken to a shallow earthenware casserole.  remove the herbs and pour off the excess butter and fat.  Over high heat add white wine to deglaze the pan.  Add cream fraiche and cook over high heat until warm.  remove from heat and stir int he mustard and all but 2 Tbls of the grated cheese.  Pour the hot sauce over the chicken, add the remaining cheese and place it under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly and slightly browned.

We have enjoyed a chicken pan sauce using one of the mustards too, but since I was not home when the recipe was crafted it will take time before I can watch the hubby make the recipe so I can write it down.  I know my husband used a Vidalia onion mustard to make it and that it was out of this world even heated up the next day!

Herb of the Week - Mustard Seed

It is that time of year when one can start seed here int he Illinois area so I am going to dedicate a few weeks to Herbs that you can grow from seed that you probably already have in your kitchen already -- in the spice cabinet.  This week it is Mustard and next week I will do anise.

Now those who frequent the blog know that I love mustard, making mustard and using mustad, but i also like growing mustard. so here is a rundown for this week's
                           Herb of the Week -  Mustard (Brassica spp.)

courtesy of Peggy Trowbridge Flippone

Mustard is a member of the brassica clan, which makes it a kissing cousin to cabbage, broccoli and radishes. Three main species are used for cooking. White- or yellow-seeded Sinapis alba, formerly known as Brassica hirta, is believed to be native to the Meditteranean region. Brown-seeded B. juncea probably originated in northwest India, and black-seeded B. nigra is native to the Middle East and Asia Minor. All three have naturalized throughout most of North America.

Food historians think mustard was first cultivated in India around 3000 B.C., and ancient Romans brought the seeds to Gaul. The plant was highly valued in Biblical times: Matthew 13:31 compares a grain of mustard to the kingdom of heaven.

The early Romans allegedly were among the first to prepare the spicy paste by mixing crushed seeds with the young, unfermented juice of wine grapes, known as “must.” (“Mustard” comes from the Latin mustum ardens, which means “burning wine.”) Although mustard probably first was used primarily for medicinal purposes, cooks throughout France, England, China and later the United States soon discovered the value and versatility of mustard.
Growing Mustard

Mustard foliage is rough and crumpled-looking, but attractive. The plant will produce four-petaled yellow flowers and, when not crowded, grow up to 2 feet.  Fill a shallow container three-quarters full with moist potting soil. Scatter a tablespoonful of seeds evenly on the soil's surface and cover with a light dusting of soil. Slip a plastic bag over the container and put it in a warm, sunny window. The seeds germinate rapidly. Remove the bag when the seedlings are 4 inches high.

You can keep the container of seedlings as an attractive plant or, if you want to grow a plant to maturity, remove one seedling from the container and transplant it to a 4-inch pot filled with potting soil. Take care to gently loosen the soil underneath the seedling with a pencil and lift the plant out by the leaves. (A plant can always regenerate new leaves but not a stem) Use a pencil to make a hole deep enough to receive the roots, and cover about an inch of the stem with soil. Water well and place the pot in a sunny window. If your light is good, the plant will produce flowers. 

Mustard does require bright sun.  Remember Mustard is an annual so sowing a new crop outdoors once the soil has warmed with give you more in the summer. You simply plant the seeds of this annual about 3 inches apart in a sunny garden site in either early spring or late summer. Like other brassicas, mustard thrives in cool weather. The tender young leaves will be ready to pick just a few weeks after the seeds sprout.

Take care before you plant mustard in your garden, however, as this easy-to-grow plant has become a troublesome weed in many states, due to the proliferation of its seeds. Before you grow mustard for seed, check with your County Extension agent to find out if mustard is restricted in your state.
To harvest the seeds, allow some of the plants to mature and flower. Seed pods will follow, about three months after planting. Harvest the pods when the plants begin to yellow, but before the pods break open and spill the seeds onto the ground. Store the seeds in a dry location until you are ready to use them, either whole or ground.


Mustard Extra

Next time you find yourself in Middleton, Wisconsin (near Madison), be sure to stop by the town’s brightest attraction, the National Mustard Museum. Open to the public since 1992, the museum displays 4,782 (at last count) jars of mustard, including historic tins and bottles that date to the 19th century.
“The idea came to me in 1986, after my Boston Red Sox lost the World Series,” museum curator and CMO (Chief Mustard Officer) Barry Levenson says. “I found myself walking the aisles of an all-night grocery store.
“When I got to the mustard aisle, I heard a voice saying, ‘if you collect us, they will come.’” Levenson swears it’s true.

Next time you are playing trvial pursuit remember these mustard facts: One pound of mustard contains about 250,000 seeds. Most of the mustard seeds used in Dijon, France, are grown in the United States and Canada. Canada produces about 90 percent of the world’s supply of mustard seeds.

To Use Mustard

 

Mustard’s use extends beyond that of a mere spread for bread, however. Indeed, the plant’s seeds, leaves and roots have been used as food, fertilizer, seasoning and medicine for millennia. Every part of the plant can be and has been used throughout history.
For centuries, people have eaten young mustard greens in salads. Loaded with vitamin A, mustard greens also are an excellent source of calcium and vitamin C. Most varieties grown for greens are of the spicy, brown-seeded type, B. juncea. Cooks subdue the bitter and pungent mature leaves by sautéing, stir-frying, braising, boiling and stewing them, the way you would prepare kale or turnip greens. Since antiquity, mustard seeds have been used to cure ailments, as well as to preserve perishables. Mustard poultices are still used as a household remedy for bronchitis and muscular aches.

Cut the leaves when the plant is 3 inches high and use as a garnish for steaks, salads and soups. The larger, older leaves can be cooked like spinach, but you will find that mustard greens have a more bitter taste. Grind the seed to make mustard powder, and use the whole seed as a pickling spice.

Recipes

Tarragon Mustard

Makes about 3/4 cup

This sophisticated mustard is very simple to make.

• 1/4 cup black mustard seeds

• 1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds

• 1/4 cup dry powdered mustard

• 3/4 cup cold water

• 114 cup dry white wine

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon

• 118 teaspoon ground allspice

Mix mustard seeds, powdered mustard, and water in the upper pan of a noncorrodible double boiler. Let stand at least three hours. In another noncorrodible saucepan, mix the wine, vinegar, tarragon, and allspice and bring to a boil. Strain the liquid into the mustard mixture and blend well.  In the lower pan of the double boiler, heat water to boiling, then reduce heat to a simmer. Place the upper pan, containing the mustard mixture, on top. Cook, stirring, until the mustard is as thick as you like. It will thicken a bit more as it cools. Cover and refrigerate.

Whole Grain Mustard

Makes about 1 cup

This flavorful, all-purpose Im1Stard adds texture and tang to salad dressings and sandwiches.

• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds

• 6 tablespoons whole mustard seeds (a mixture of black and yellow)

• 1 tablespoon green peppercorns

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

• 3/4 cup water

• 2 teaspoons honey

• 114 cup red wine vinegar

Toast coriander seeds in a dry skillet or place them in a flat dish and microwave on High for 4 to 5 minutes. Crush mustard seeds, green peppercorns, and coriander seeds in a mortar. Mix the crushed seeds, thyme, and water in the upper pan of a glass, enamel or stainless steel double boiler and let stand at least three hours.  Heat water to boiling in the lower pan of the double boiler. Reduce the heat to simmering and place the upper pan, containing the Im1Stard mixture, on top. Stir in the honey and vinegar and cook 10 minutes until the mustard is as thick as you like. It will thicken a bit more as it cools. Refrigerate, covered.

  Check out our other blogs on mustard for recipes using mustard and crafting flavored mustard!

Weekend Recipe - Dilled Mustard Green Beans

The beans are starting to be available at the farmer’s market and I am so excited!  I love green beans I could eat them with every meal.  My husband does most of our cooking (it’s his hobby.)  He is very skilled at main dishes and sauces of every kind.  Vegetable dishes are not his forte. So I get to make those and this is one of my favorite when the green beans are fresh.  You can substitute plain cider vinegar for the herbal vinegar but the subtle flavors and sweetness of tarragon vinegar really imparts an exotic French feel to this sauce.

Dilled Mustard Green Beans

Sauce:

½ cup Dijon mustard

2 Tbls. dry mustard

¼ cup tarragon herbal vinegar

1/3 canola oil

¼ cup chopped fresh dill (or 1 Tbls. dried)

1 lb. fresh green beans.

Mix the sauce ingredients and allow to marinade in refrigerator several hours before serving.  When ready to have a meal, blanch and steam the green beans until crisp tender.  You can also wrap them in foil with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water and allow to steam on the grill for about 3 to 5 minutes.  Just before serving, pour sauce over green beans.

This sauce is also great on asparagus, carrots, chicken and fish.

Waffles of the World, unite! Today is International Waffle Day!

My husband is the breakfast champ.  I spent too many years working early morning waitress shift at a truck stop during high school to find any enjoyment making breakfast, but my husband lives to make it and the day does not really start without it (especially for him).  Chas has been ill this week and oatmeal and cereal for breakfast has been the height of my creativity.   However when he is well my husband makes great waffles.

This is his Belgian Waffle recipe:

Chas’ Belgian Waffles

Yield 5to 7

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups cake flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 Tbls. sugar
• 3 eggs (yolks separated from whites)
• 2 Tbls. melted butter or oil
• 1 ½ cups milk
• ½ to ¾ cup beer  (or add ¼ to ½ cup dry malt to milk adding more milk for volume)

Directions

1. Blend dry ingredients in a bowl
2. Beat egg yolks and add in oil, milk then beer.
3. Make a hole in the dry ingredients and pour liquid in.  Combine in a few swift strokes.  Batter will be pebbled, like a muffin batter.
4. Beat egg whites until stiff, fold into batter until just blended.
5. Pour onto heated and oiled (or buttered) waffle iron, cook for 2 to 4 minutes depending on iron.

While looking through recipes trying to convince myself that I could make a more detailed breakfast, I did find these two savory waffle recipes that you can use for dinner rather than breakfast.  They have herbs and cheese and make a great base for serving a casserole or stew over.  I have not decided which one I like more, but well--- bacon!  Either way I like the idea of a waffle instead of potatoes or noodles as a base for a change of pace.  They smell good when they bake too!

Savory Waffles

Yields 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 1/2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 3 eggs, separated
• 2/3 cup light sour cream
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, garlic salt, parsley, rosemary and tarragon. Stir in the shredded Gouda. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, mix together the egg yolks, buttermilk, sour cream and vegetable oil until well blended. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, and stir until just blended. In a separate clean bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into the waffle batter.
3. Heat the waffle iron, and grease with vegetable oil spray. Use the recommended amount of batter for each waffle according to your iron. Close the lid, and cook until golden brown. Waffles can be held in a warm oven while the others are cooking. Serve with creamed beef or chicken.

Savory Bacon Waffles

Original Recipe Yield 8 waffles

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons dried sweet basil
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon minced onion

Directions

1. Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet and cook over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 5 minutes per side. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble once cooled.
2. Preheat an oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C) to keep the finished waffles warm. Preheat a waffle iron and coat lightly with cooking spray.
3. Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, Parmesan cheese, parsley, rosemary, basil, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk the milk, eggs, butter, and Dijon mustard together in a small bowl. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just combined.
4. Pour about 1/3 cup batter into each square of the preheated waffle iron; cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Keep prepared waffles in the preheated oven until all are cooked.
5. Stir the sour cream, sugar, and onion together in a small bowl. Drizzle the onion sauce evenly over the warm waffles. Sprinkle crumbled bacon over the waffles to serve.

 Enjoy these recipes on your Waffle Day!

Instant Gourmet - making herbal butter!

I was surfing the net the other day and ran across a quote from a Gourmet Cooking blog.  They said “Herb butters are among the small but important details offered by fine restaurants and appreciated by gourmet diners.”  Reading that reminded me that the first items I experimented with after harvesting from my original herb garden were Herb Butters.

Herbal Butter is a simple, fun and easy way to experiment with different herbs.  It helps you to realize the tastes and the flavor families.

The best part about herbal butter is you can use either salted or unsalted butter or even margarine or butter substitutes.  You can also use fresh or dried herbs.  That makes them a great item to make in the winter when you are missing fresh herbs and planning your herb garden for next year.

How to Craft Herb Butter

 When using fresh herbs instead of dried herbs double the amount used in a recipe calling for dried herbs, as dry herbs have a more intense flavor.  The general rule in making herbal butter is: Use 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh herbs; 1-1/2 teaspoons of dried herbs or 1/2 teaspoon of ground seeds like dill seed, fennel seed etc. for every 4 ounces or 1/2 cup of butter which has been softened to room temperature.

Herb butters can be used to flavor to cooked foods, a way to rev-up your morning toast, or even as an appetizer on crackers.  They can be made in advance, kept in the refrigerator for days or frozen and kept for months. I used to make a bunch at one time, roll them into a ball or pack them into a ramekin and freeze them.  Then when friends stopped by, I grab one out, let it thaw and serve.  They all thought I was a genius and I was just thrifty, by making extra every time I made herb butter.

Some suggestions to get you started

Basil Butter:  1 tablespoon dried basil and 1-1/2 teaspoon dried parsley. Use on green beans, summer squash or zucchini. It is equally delicious on top of poached eggs, noodles or for sautéed fish.

Fine Herbs Butter:  1-1/2 teaspoon parsley; 3/4 teaspoon tarragon; 1/2 teaspoon rosemary; 1/2 teaspoon chives. This is delicious on cheese and egg dishes or can be used on fish, meats, or vegetables.

Mint Butter:  Combine 1 tablespoon of mint and 1 tablespoon of lemon choice with the butter. Add the lemon juice gradually to prevent curdling. This is ideal with lamb or can be used on new potatoes, carrots or green peas.

Mixed Herb Butter:  Add 3/4 teaspoons of each of the following dried herbs – chervil, chives, dill, mint and tarragon plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. This is great on noodles or broiled tomatoes or can be used on broiled fish or meat.

Sage Butter:  1 teaspoon dried sage; 1/2 teaspoon dried celery leaves or 1/4 teaspoon celery seed; 1 teaspoon onion juice; 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Use it on poultry, lamb chops, veal, or vegetables.

Tarragon Butter:  2 teaspoons dried tarragon; 1-1/2 teaspoon dried parsley; 1 Tablespoon lemon juice. This adds a unique flavor to tomato dishes, eggs, cheese, or noodles. It can also be used on lamb or fish.

Lemon butter: 1 teaspoon lemon peel; 2 teaspoons dried lemon balm; 1 Tablespoon lemon juice.

When you have made the butter spoon it into ice cube molds or candy molds and use within 2 days. Alternatively, if you want to keep it longer, freeze it.  Remove it from the freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature for several hours before it is required. 

These are just a few ideas as the possibilities are endless. Try experimenting with your own favorite combinations. You should be able to think of many more recipes to make your own herb butter.

And if you want to save the hassle, the Backyard Patch has a multitude of pre-blended Herb Mixes formulated just for making herbal butters.  You can find them all right here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=370330738928&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT