[Sca-cooks] Mustards/Responses to Phlip's, Jadwiga's, and Helewyse's posts

[Phlip]

Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...

> Phlip,
> is your pear mustard posted somewhere I could find it and try it out?  I
> have experienced some of the mustards that were very sweet--- on the order
> of mustard flavored honey.  But I think a lot of people like this version
> too as they seem to sell well modernly.
>
> Your thoughts did lead me to think though about other things that would
add
> sweetness and flavor without being overly sweet.  One thing that occured
to
> me would be beets.  I haven't looked though to see whether white and
yellow
> beets are period as well as red.  And while I think beet mustard flavor
> could be really good, I am not sure how the color would come out with red
> ones--beet red or a funny color of orangey yellow.  A red one might or
might
> not be visually appetizing in combination with meat (or it might make for
> one of those heart stopping soltilties).

This is from Valoise' translation of Sabina Welserin:

34 To make the mustard for dried cod

Take mustard powder, stir into it good wine and pear preserves and put sugar
into it, as much as you feel is good, and make it as thick as you prefer to
eat
it, then it is a good mustard.

As I was unable to find pear preserves, and knowing that preserves are
cooked, I substituted fresh pears, which I had cored and lightly parboiled-
just to tenderness. I left the peels on, for a bit of added texture (never
mind it was late and I was tired ;-) and we ran them through the food
processor, with a bit of wine- semi-dry white- with the mustard powder. We
did add a bit of sugar, but very little, because these pears were
wonderfully sweet in their own right.

The consistancy was rather similar to a fairly firm applesauce, with a
lovely bite of mustard. It does mellow, given a couple of days, but is still
good in 24 hours.

Proportions were about 6 pears to one can (4 3/4 oz?) mustard. We served it
with roast pork loin, as one of 3 sauces, camelline and pevorade (sp?
Grape/black pepper combo) being the other two.

If I were to do it again, I'd likely make pear preserves, since they're so
hard to find, and do them in either thin slices, or small chunks, and work
from there. Regardless, it was very tasty as it was, and if I get a taste
for it in a hurry, I'll duplicate my actions.

This enough?

In the meantime, Jadwiga, while I have thought about doing the mustards with
dried fruits, I've been in a bit of a quandry about what to do to liquify
them, to a softer consistancy. I'm thinking about rehydrating them in a
light wine, but haven't come to any firm decision. Any suggestions?

Saint Phlip,
CoD

"When in doubt, heat it up and hit it with a hammer."
 Blacksmith's credo.

 If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably not a
cat.

Never a horse that cain't be rode,
And never a rider who cain't be throwed....