Mustard has character. It is not the universal condiment like ketchup. Well, actually, if you order a hot dog with everything, you get mustard, not ketchup. And yet, ketchup seems to have a universal appeal while mustard warrants its own distinctions.
I was recently drawn to mustard. I have played with a variety of ketchups, from smoked rhubarb to Meyer lemon, and been inspired by the variables available in that guise. Well, I turned my attention to mustard. I began working with whole grain and Dijon mustards.
The first creation I worked with was whole grain honey mustard perfumed with kaffir lime leaves. The honey picked up the floral notes of the lime leaves and transferred them to the mustard. The second mustard of note is passionfruit-vanilla. I blended a passionfruit caramel with a spicy Dijon mustard and Bourbon vanilla. The sweet tang of the passionfruit cuts through the spicy mustard, and the rich vanilla notes blended in the mustard. This is a fun mustard, one that would be great with crustaceans or young vegetables.
Finally, we made chocolate mustard. Yes, it is that simple. We melted a 70% chocolate with Dijon mustard. The flavors simply balance each other: sweet, spicy, salty, tangy, fermented, the list goes on. The chocolate mustard is really exciting. It will be great in sauces and marinades, as well as lightened into delicate foams for slow-cooked fish. I suppose if I were really clever, I would have smoked the chocolate for the mustard. That is why there is tomorrow.
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