Convivencia, February 21, 2004

Another Very Good French Mustard

De Nola

Take a caldron which will hold two cantaros, and fill it with red grapes and set it to cook upon the fire until it is reduced by half and there remains half a caldron which is one cantaro; and when the grapes are cooked, remove the scum with a wooden spoon; and stir it now and then with a stick; and strain this must through a clean cloth and cast it into a cantaro; and then cast in the mustard, which should be up to a dishful well-ground, little by little, stirring it with the stick. And each day you should stir with it, four or five times a day; and if you wish, you can grind with the mustard three parts cinnamon, two parts cloves, and one part ginger. This French mustard is very good and lasts all year and is
mulberry-colored.

• 4 pounds red grapes
• 3.5 cup ground brown mustard seeds
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground ginger

1. Remove Grapes from stem; wash
2. Puree Grapes in food processor
3. In small saucepan, cook grapes over low heat to extract juice (30-60 minutes)
4. Strain juice out of pulp-- keep juice. You can extract more juice by heating the pulp a bit more.
5. Grind mustard seeds in spice grinder
6. Mix mustard with juice in non-reactive container to form a smooth, thin paste.
7. Add spices (varying to taste)
8. Age 7 days, stirring periodically. Keep refrigerated until serving.

From the files of Jadwiga Zajaczkowa (Jenne Heise), 2004