Tangy, cheesy, and creamy
“[Jesus] said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.’ ”
- Mark 4:30—32
While at my favorite tapas place, I locked eyes with the largest tin of ground mustard I’d ever seen. Prior to this moment, my experiences with ground mustard were limited to the 4oz tin of mustard powder I purchased for this asparagus parmesan recipe and nothing else. I questioned at first, “what the hell is mustard powder?” but was reminded of receiving a mustard seed at one of the few Sunday School classes I attended as a child. Though not sure of its significance, I learned the seed could easily be turned into a powder the moment I dropped my seed and proceeded to crush it under my patent leather dress shoes while searching for it on the floor.
The tin of mustard powder I crossed paths with at dinner looked exactly the same as my tin at home - yellow and red color palette, small bull’s head over the Colman’s name, seemingly pulled straight from the turn of the century - but huge. It was the only thing sitting on top of the shelf in front of the food prep station; the hanging lights spotlit it perfectly. If I had to carry it, I would’ve easier strapped it into a Baby Bjorn on my chest than attempt to wrap my arms around it. Though I only saw it from a distance, I could tell the paint was chipping on the tin and it was dented thoroughly on all sides, as though it had been left out in a hailstorm. It peaked my interest and so, to answer my previous question (read above: what the hell is mustard powder?), I went home and did some research.
Mustard seeds, as noted in the quote from Jesus above, grow into tree-like, fluffy bushes. For those who are unfamiliar with the plant, it could easily be mistaken for a rare species of weeping willow, one that is weeping from all of the mustard powder caked into its eyes. I imagine that being anywhere near one would result in your body looking like a car in the spring, covered in a thin layer of yellow powder. These babies can grow to be anywhere between 6 and 20 feet tall, “although exceptional plants can grow to 30 feet tall under ideal conditions.”
https://theologoholic.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/how-the-church-grows-or-is-the-kingdom-of-god-a-nuisance/
I couldn’t find much information about the history of the use of the mustard plant in cooking, but there is archeological evidence of admiration for the plant and its flowers since 3000 BC. The mustard flowers, seeds, and greens are all edible parts of the plant that are still being admired and cooked with today - you can even find mustard oil in some specialty shops. Mustard powder is simply made from crushing the dried seeds of the mustard plant. Again, it was hard to find information on the first uses of mustard powder, but what I did discover is that people are very passionate about their mustard powder and mustard products.
Colman’s of Norwich, the creator of that cute little yellow tin of mustard powder, is a company that has been around since 1814. They are widely perceived as the creators of the best mustard powder in the world (maybe because they are the only company with a mustard powder focus…). The company has been supporting Norwich’s community and its people for almost two centuries, even going as far as providing housing and child care to their employees in the early years. In January of this year, it was announced that the Colman’s factory in Norwich is set to close by 2019. This announcement caused unforeseen upheaval. Warren Kenny, regional secretary of the GMB union, said: “This is absolutely devastating news for the workforce at Colman’s, for the city of Norwich and for manufacturing in East Anglia.” What mustard company is going to sponsor the Norwich football team now?
Lastly, I am sure that every good eater knows that people are very particular about the types of mustard they consume. Many Americans prefer French’s classic yellow mustard, but I’m more of a spicy brown mustard gal. Not that classic yellow doesn’t have merit - all the types are good depending on their application. And they’re all developed from the same basic formula. All of those yellow, golden, brown, and sometimes orange goops are simply made by mixing liquid with mustard powder. This liquid is typically something tangy, like wine or vinegar, but can be made just as easily with water. For added texture and culinary bonus points you can mix whole mustard seeds into the paste as well.
So there you have it, that’s what the hell mustard powder is and more. I never thought I would start a blog post with an excerpt from the Bible, but I think it paid off. Like they say, mustardiness is next to godliness.
Now onto the recipe!
This recipe was so quick and easy I was able to cook, take pictures, and taste test it all while talking on the phone with my mother. It’s perfect as a simple, yet unique side dish for most dinners. To that point, I don’t really have any complaints with the recipe itself. In fact, I was impressed with the note to blanch the asparagus before baking. Otherwise, the asparagus would’ve been really stringy once baked and not everyone would’ve cared to include that first step. That being said, I think I could’ve been more careful overall. I boiled the asparagus a bit too long and cooked until just over tender rather than “just tender” as suggested. A girl needs at least an approximate time range to work with!
All in all, I was impressed with this dish and would definitely make it again. The dish was tangy, creamy, and cheesy, but not too tangy, creamy, and cheesy - which could be easy with this ingredient list (hello mayonnaise!). And guess what? The mustard powder actually shined through all of the dairy - even though I only added an eighth of a teaspoon. I wouldn’t say it grew to be as massive as the kingdom of God, as suggested in my opening parable, but it was surprisingly present.
(Please email me if you want more mustard facts…. I did much more research than is present here and have nothing to do with all of my new found mustard knowledge.)
For the recipe, click here.