The proper mustard: since ancient times, mustard has been a boon to humanity. We first appreciated it for its medicinal properties, and now see its suitability for environment-friendly biodiesel. Along the way we learned to love the way it tastes, too--seeds, leaves and all.

"Mustard's no good without roast beef."

CHICO MARX, Monkey Business

Take Me Home From the Ball Game

On October 25, 1986, things were looking pretty good for the Boston Red Sox. Up three games to two, they were leading by two with two outs in the bottom of the tenth, only one out away from their first World Series win since 1918.

That's when it all went to hell, and fast. Off of three singles and one wild pitch, the New York Mets tied the game. Stunned Red Sox fans then watched in horror as first baseman Bill Buckner reached for a ground ball that eluded him with the ease of a mustard seed skittering across a linoleum floor. In the scramble to recover, Ray Knight rounded third and scored the run that forced a seventh game, which the Red Sox lost two nights later. Among the stricken thousands was Barry Levenson, who felt his life and even as the Mets began to celebrate. Barry Levenson, founder and curator of the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum in Wisconsin, attributes his passion for mustard to Boston's ill-fated '86 World Series bid. Feeling lost and bereft in its wake, Levenson was wandering through the aisles of the local supermarket when he found himself drawn to the mustard section. "If you collect us," the mustards said, "they will come." They gave him a purpose to which he has devoted himself entirely ever since, even giving up his law practice to do so. Today the museum houses more than 4,600 examples of mustard from around the world, and sells almost 500 varieties.

But why did the spirit of mustard reach out to a grieving baseball fan in the first place? Perhaps it offered consolation: yellow mustard should, after all, elicit fond memories of ballpark hot dogs and pretzels. Or perhaps Levenson has been tirelessly seeking to cut the mustard the Red Sox didn't. Either way, mustard now has a home and an advocate who has raised mustard awareness across the nation. Every year, Levenson presides over the World-wide Mustard Competition at the Napa Valley Mustard Festival. Winning mustards in 19 categories receive awards at the festival's gala event in Match at Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food and The Arts.

Among the categories for judging are the familiar mustards: sweet-hot, honey mustard, classic Dijon, coarse grained, American yellow and deli/brown. The others include classic hot, in which the heat comes entirely from the mustard seeds; pepper hot, in which the heat is provided by chilies; horseradish, which includes wasabi; herb; garlic; fruit; spirit; organic; and exotic. In the exotic category are mustards made with coffee, chocolate, walnuts and truffles.

The categories reveal something of mustard's appeal. Mustard has heat and pungency but little distinctive flavor, making it an ideal spice to blend with other flavors, or other hot things. With flavored mustard, it's not about finding an ingredient to complement the mustard, it's not about finding an ingredient to complement the mustard, it's about conveying the flavor with the right amount of bite. That's why dill works as well as coffee, or whiskey as well as truffles.

Burnings Wine

Although there are several theories on the origin of the word, most sources agree that "mustard" derives from the Latin mustum ardens, or "burning must," a description of the condiment made in ancient Rome by grinding mustard seeds with unfermented grape must or wine. While there is culinary evidence that mustard seeds were used in ancient Egypt, Greece and parts of Asia, Romans are credited with first making the seeds into a sauce or paste. This condiment became so familiar it ended up lending its name to the mustard plant, which was originally known as senpy.

The burn that Romans enjoyed is the result of a reaction that takes place when the ground seeds are mixed with a cold liquid. In the presence of cold liquid, enzymes in the seeds hydrolyze compounds called glucosinolates into isothiocyanates. Once the reaction starts, the heat increases for about 15 minutes, then declines. Mixing the mustard with vinegar or hot water stops the reaction and fixes the heat at the desired level. White mustard seeds, which are used to make American yellow mustard, produce allyl isothyocyanate and brown mustard seeds, used in Dijon mustard, produce hydroxybenzyl isothyocyanate. The latter is much hotter, explaining the higher heat of Dijon mustard.

By the end of the medieval era in Europe, recipes for prepared mustard existed in countries from Iceland to Italy. By the 14th century, a number of Italian regions were making mostarda, a condiment of fruit preserved in a sweet-hot mustard syrup. During the 17th century, some places became more famous for their mustards than others, including Dijon, France and Tewkesbury, England. Dijon mustard was known for being blended with wine, cinnamon and cloves; today, mustards labeled Dijon--whether made in Dijon or not--adhere to an established recipe based on brown and black seeds. Tewkesbury mustard was a combination of mustard seeds and horseradish that was rolled into balls and dried. This convenient preparation was easily transported and had a long shelf life. To make a condiment, a ball would simply be mixed with a liquid such as water, vinegar or ale. Although Tewkesbury mustard no longer exists in this form, some English mustard eaters still show a preference for mixing up their own using Colman's mustard powder.

In North America, mustard didn't have quite the same appeal at first. It is believed that Spanish priests were the first to plant mustard as they traveled from mission to mission, but there is no evidence to suggest widespread culinary appreciation of the spice until the 20th century. That was when, at 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, French's mild or "cream" mustard was introduced to the public as the perfect condiment for the hot dog. At just about the same time, another mustard maker, J. W. Raye of Eastport, Maine, was bottling his own mustard sauce to complement the sardines he sold. Legend has it that Mr. French and Mr. French and Mr. Raye agreed on a handshake not to compete directly with each other. Today, French's is the largest mustard producer in America, while Roye's makes a variety of award-winning, authentically stoneground classic and creative styles. Together they represent the range of mustards that are now enthusiastically consumed in the United States. In spite of American enthusiasm however, the French still use the most mustard in the world-about a pound and a half per person each year.

Mustard seeds also occupy a special place in Indian cuisine. The mustard flower is so familiar throughout the country, it is a symbol of spring. In southern India, mustard seeds are as ubiquitous as cumin is in the north. Brown mustard seeds are most commonly used, and are sometimes mistakenly referred to as black because they are so dark. Mustard referred to as black because they are so dark. Mustard oil is more prevalent in northern regions, both for pickling and frying. Dishes with mustard greens are found everywhere the seed is used. Members of the cabbage family, the greens come in many sizes, shapes and colors, with varying textures and degrees of bitterness. Some, like mizuna, are eaten young and tender in salads while others like Chinese mustard cabbage, are suitable for the sauerkraut treatment of being pickled in lactic acid.

Remedy 21

In 1930, Dr. Edward Bach of Harley Street, London, left his traditional medical practice behind to explore more natural means of healing his patients. Forgoing scientific method, Bach instead relied on intuition to guide him through the English countryside in the belief that he would be able to identify flowers that could alleviate specific negative emotional states. By addressing the negative state with the appropriate flower essence, one would enjoy better overall mental and physical health. In the course of his work he identified a total of 38 states and 38 corresponding flower remedies. Remedy 21 was the essence of the cheerful yellow mustard flower which, he felt, was the cure for inexplicable bouts of profound gloominess. One needs only a few drops of the remedy, he contended, to dispel the blues and stimulate an appetite for life.

Mustard as a medicinal stimulant is nothing new. In the ancient Indian practice of Ayurvedic medicine, mustard seeds are recommended for alleviating digestive disorders because of their ability to stoke digestive "fire" that burns away the cause of the problem. They are also recommended in plasters for various respiratory and circulatory disorders: when applied to the skin they stimulate blood flow and soothe inflammations. In Greece in the 5th century B.C., Hippocrates wrote of its effectiveness both internally and externally for digestive and pulmonary issues. For centuries since, mustard has offered relief from. stiff muscles, joint pain, colic and respiratory complaints. In the 17th century, British herbalist John Evelyn added antiscorbutic, or scurvy-preventing, to mustard's curative properties, unaware of the vitamin C that made it true. As recently as the 1980s, it was the main ingredient in U.S. Patent No. 4428933, a composition for treating acne. Mustard rubs and baths still have their fans, and can be purchased as an over-the-counter treatment.

Taken internally in sizeable doses, mustard seeds stimulate the entire gastrointestinal tract and, in large doses, act as an emetic. However, in more ordinary, culinary-sized doses, they simply stimulate the taste buds and the appetite. Modern science has identified so many beneficial components in them, mustard seeds are considered one of the world's healthiest foods. Mustard is a cruciferous plant, which makes it a 'relative of broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage, and it has all of their health benefits. The seeds are high in antioxidants and have antibacterial properties. They are believed to have anti-cancer properties, and can definitely reduce asthma symptoms, lower high blood pressure and prevent heart attacks. In a two-teaspoon serving, mustard seeds contain significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids as well as iron, protein and fiber. Mustard greens, like other dark green leafy vegetables, are also highly nutritious, providing about 580 milligrams of calcium in a serving. Unlike other dark green leafy vegetables, they contain little oxalic acid, the substance in those other greens that prevents the body's absorption of calcium. They also contain large amounts of vitamins A and C, and potassium.

Alexander's Reply

When Alexander became king of Macedon in 334 . B.C., the first order of business was to drive back the Persian empire ruled by King Darius III. King Darius, angered by Alexander's audacity, sent him a bag of sesame seeds as a warning about the size of his army. Alexander tasted the seeds and, unimpressed by their lack of flavor, replied with a bag of mustard seeds, both to indicate the greater number of his own troops and to suggest their fiery nature. Needless to say, Alexander's wit was sharper.

The ubiquity and importance of mustard seed throughout the ancient world can beseen in the numerous mentions in sacred literature. Abraham, patriarch of the Israelites, is said to have presented three angelic visitors with tongue and mustard. In Christian tradition, Jesus compares the church to a mustard seed, a tiny thing that has the potential to grow into a large, strong, sheltering tree. In the Koran, the wise man Luqman teaches that even a thing with the weight of a mustard seed will not be overlooked by God. Further east, Buddha instructs a grieving mother to collect a mustard seed from every home in which no one has died, an impossible task that shows the woman she is not alone in her loss. References to mustard are also made in Hinduism, Taoism and Baha'i.

Over the centuries, mustard has been put to inspired everyday uses as well. In the Sanskrit Manusmrti, or Laws of Manu, the smallest unit of weight on a scale is the sarsapa, which is the equivalent of one mustard seed: that's 1/100,000 of a pound if it's a white mustard seed, or 1/200,000 of a pound if brown or black. For centuries in Europe, the seeds' antibacterial properties were useful in the preservation of meats and vegetables. Much more recently, the plant's tendency to absorb certain elements from the soil has been turned to advantage in a process known as phytoremediation. For this, mustard is planted in areas where toxic levels of lead, copper, zinc, selenium, cadmium and chromium need to be lowered. Once the plants have done their work, they are destroyed.

Right now, mustard's most promising potential is in its oil. Long used in Indian cooking, mustard oil expressed from mustard seeds contains a high level of erucic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid. Because some studies have made a connection between erucic acid and heart damage, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration prohibits the use of expressed mustard oil, permitting only the essential oil for consumption. More recent studies suggest a misunderstanding of the effects, but for the time being the prohibition remains. Whichever the case may be, the acid is useful in the production of biodiesel, a possibly safe alternative to fossil fuels for the future. It is also the main ingredient in Lorenzo's Oil, an experimental treatment for those suffering from adrenoleukody-strophy, or ALD.