Mustard is one of the world’s oldest condiments. In its most basic form, it’s made by mixing ground mustard seeds with some type of liquid. Roughly speaking there are three types of mustard seeds: yellow, brown, and black. The yellow seed shave a milder flavour and are actually not that closely related to the brown and black types, which are more peppery. Historically, black mustard seeds have been used in most types of mustard, Dijon in particular. But black seeds are difficult to harvest, and as a result brown mustard seeds are increasingly used in their place. American mustard, however, is made from
yellow mustard seeds. Crushed mustard seeds release enzymes which produce that hot flavour when they come into contact with water. The reaction lasts no longer than ten minutes, after which the
enzymes begin to break down, sometimes creating a bitterness. Adding wine or vinegar slows down and stabilizes the reaction and allows us to harness the lovely peppery mustard flavour. If you’re not a fan of hot mustard I recommend heating it up. This causes the enzymes to break down, immediately mellowing the mustard. It’s also the reason why you should only add mustard at the end when cooking
stews and sauces