Celebrate National Mustard Day

Most people only know about one or two flavors of mustard. National Mustard Day, Aug. 7, is a fantastic excuse to expand your mustard horizons. You can go all out and make your own mustard, or you can try using mustard in a new way.

Background of mustard

There is a mustard plant that gives off mustard seeds. Four seeds are made with this plant. There is white mustard, yellow mustard, brown mustard and black mustard. A liquid is mixed with the crushed seeds to make a kind of paste. Tumeric and vinegar are mixed with crushed yellow mustard seeds to make the yellow mustard all of us know and love. You can make your own mustard by simply buying some mustard seeds out of the spices aisle then crushing and mixing them with vinegar and whichever else you want to, to get a certain flavor. Homemade mustard is usually really spicy.

Why National Mustard Day is special

Learning about different mustards is what happens on National Mustard day. Mustard could be stored anywhere because it is an antibacterial product. It is also an emulsifier, which can help combine oil and water. Dry mustard powder is put into unstable sauces like Bearnaise because it helps stop curdling from happening. Mustard also accounts for about $ 300 million in grocery sales each year.

National Mustard Day yourself

Even if you aren’t too adventurous within the kitchen, you are able to still celebrate National Mustard Day. Sandwiches aren’t the only thing to benefit from mustard. Try mixing your favored mustard — prepared or homemade — into a variety of new treats. You are able to try these:

Try making honey mustard

Mix equal parts brown, Dijon or deli mustard and honey for a dipping sauce. With a little bit of oil mixed in, honey mustard could be a salad dressing.

Grill your food with mustard

Start by mixing together some salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard seed. When grilling, this makes a fantastic sauce for rubbing on to marinate chicken, beef or even Portobello mushrooms.