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Mustard

Brassica nigra/juncea, Sinapsis alba/B. hirta
Sinapsis alba
Did you know that… ?
  1. …there are many varieties of mustard and all are descended from one of three originals– black mustard (Brassica nigra), brown mustard (Brassica juncea) and white mustard (Sinapis alba)?
  2. …in many languages, the name mustard comes from the Latin  mustum ardens or hot cider?
  3. …the most familiar and traditional brand is "Colman's Mustard", founded in 1814 and supplied to a king's court in England?
  4. …only after coming in contact with water does mustard unleash its hotness, since water causes release of the hot mustard oil?
  5. …a plaster of ground mustard with flour reduces rheumatism pain?
  6. …all mustards in small doses stimulate blood flow to the digestive tract, and so aid digestion and food absorption?
  7. …mustard as a spice consists of dried, whole, milled or ground seeds of plants from the Brassica genus?
Mustard seeds
Recipe

Rabbit with mustard

1 rabbit
2 dl white wine
2 tablespoons mustard
1 teaspoon tarragon
thin slice of raw lard or bacon
pepper, salt

Salt and pepper rabbit on all sides. Spread mixture of mustard and chopped tarragon on strip of lard or bacon and wrap around rabbit, treated side inwards. Bake for approximately 1 hour, according to size of rabbit. When rabbit is tender, discard wrapped strip and add wine to baking juice.

Story

The original home of mustard was in the Atlas mountain range of north African. In the Bible, Jesus uses the mustard seed in one of his parables as a description of the spread of the Kingdom of God. The Roman author Columella, one of the first ancient writers on agriculture, wrote about mustard cultivation in the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD, and also provides the first recipe for the predecessor to the table mustard we use today. In the 4th century, Palladius recommended a mixture of mustard seeds, honey, olive oil and vinegar.  Roman colonists brought mustard to Europe and medieval monasteries were responsible for it quickly spreading it all over Europe.