Mostarda di Frutta di Cremona

mostarda di frutta di Cremona a preserve of candied fruits in a sugar or white wine and honey syrup and flavoured with mustard oil, a speciality of the Italian city of Cremona. It is eaten with cold boiled meat such as ham.

It is made of whole fruits such as cherries, little oranges, figs, plums, apricots, and slices or pieces of pear, melon or pumpkin. Elizabeth David (1965) remarks that ‘this confection has an absolutely original flavour. Its origin goes back to the honey, mustard, oil and vinegar condiments of the Romans, who also preserved roots such as turnips in these mixtures.’ Another such item is mostarda di Carpi (in Emilia) which is restricted to pear, apple, and sometimes quince, cooked in grape must.