I don’t think I had ever considered making my own mustard, but then the most recent issue of Taproot magazine arrived and it became a certainty that I would. Somehow, it took me about two months to actually do this, but there was no good reason for that delay and I’ll be making more much sooner.

(Aside: I heard about Taproot when they were launching the very first issue and it sounded like something I would love. I looked into it then, but it just seemed a little too indulgent. I thought, “that would be a great holiday gift” and waited for someone else to bite on my behalf. Then in a fit of impatience this past January, I bought myself a one-year subscription. It is so worth every penny and then some. Every issue is packed with gorgeous art and inspiring stories and patterns and projects and recipes for things that I have actually made. I’m currently considering splurging on a full set of back issues, because I still hate that I missed out on nearly two years of that goodness.)

Right – we’re talking about mustard. I should probably hold this post because there’s no reason it needs to compete with the piles of late-summer produce that are no doubt looming in your kitchen as they are in mine. But on the other hand, it’s really no competition, more like a satisfying antidote. It’s nearly instant gratification compared to most ferments and it takes literally a few minutes to put it together.

I made two versions on my first go – a basic yellow mustard and a spicy horseradish mustard. As much as I love a spicy horseradish mustard, I think the basic recipe has great flavor and versatility, so that’s what I’m sharing here.

Yellow Mustard (adapted slightly from Kirsten Shockey’s recipe in Taproot magazine)

• 1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 Tblsp raw apple cider vinegar

1. Combine all ingredients except the vinegar in blender and blend until it reaches a paste consistency.
2. Spoon mustard into glass jar, making sure to press out any air pockets. Cover with lid and leave to ferment at room temperature for 3 days.
3. Stir in vinegar and move to store in refrigerator. Makes roughly 1 1/2 cups. Note that the half-pint jar on the left in the photo is a half-batch.

That’s it! This will mellow some over time, but it still has a bit of a kick from the brown mustard seeds. If you want something really mild, I would use a higher proportion of yellow mustard seeds. The original recipe also suggests that you could add a bit of honey with the vinegar which I didn’t do.

And now you have the perfect excuse for a round of my all-time favorite breakfast sandwiches: caramelized red onion, egg and sharp cheddar between two pieces of mustard-spread toast. Yum! I’m sure there will be some grilled sausages in our near future as well. What is your favorite vehicle for mustard?