A Note on Mustard Making

If exotic mustards are hard to find in your neighborhood, or if you enjoy concocting your own everything to fit your own taste (as we do), you’ll be glad to make the discovery that a number of mustards can be made without ferreting out secret formulas hidden by monks. And without recourse to the use of eggs, butter, and other unprofessional ingredients.

We have not tried to duplicate the wild range of flavorings that proliferate in chic shoppes (everything from strawberry to hot fudge, it seems), but instead have created several special types that are cheaper and/or better when made at home. We have found, for example, that the gentlefolk of Dijon make, not surprisingly, the best Dijon mustard, often at a reasonable price; and mild brown mustard is cheaper and better when store-bought. But some styles of mustard— particularly the coarse-grained ones—are most satisfying to make at home.