The Stirring Spoon

Mustard

Sauces, Spices & CondimentsFrench, c. 1393 / English, c. 1140Le Menagier de Paris; Sidney Sussex MS 51Crown Hospitality SpreadCurrent project — cooking pending

Original

Named preparation — ground mustard seed with vinegar. Le Ménagier de Paris (Greco & Rose, 2009); also in 12th-century Poitevin sources (Gasper & Wallis, English Historical Review, 2016). Mustard-making is one of the oldest documented condiment preparations in European cuisine.

My Redaction

Grind mustard seeds, mix with vinegar to desired consistency. Let stand to mellow. Shelf-stable. The simplest documented item on the list — and one of the most useful for the table.