Mustard Day

Mustard Day is the first Saturday in August

The National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin is the official sponsor and host of National Mustard Day. National Mustard Day was founded by the museum in 1991, featuring a street festival of mustard songs, mustard games, hot dogs, brats, free mustard samples, the “duchess of mustard,” music, and other entertainment. The museum has more than 5,624 mustards, courtesy of its curator and founder Barry Levenson, who left law to devote his time to his passion—collecting mustards and mustard memorabilia. National Mustard Day is for mustard aficionados, mustard lovers, and anti-ketchup fanatics to come together and celebrate the popular and versatile condiment.

Interesting Facts About Mustard 

The exact origin story for mustard is unknown, but the condiment is commonly believed to have originated from the early Romans, pre-dating even black pepper as a popular spice, according to The Spruce Eats. Mustard allegedly derives its name from “mustum,” the Latin word for unfermented grape juice, which was mixed by the Romans with ground mustard seeds to produce “mustum ardens,” or “burning must.” The phrase refers to the potent mustard oils released during fermentation, producing the spicy paste known today as “mustard.”

The mustard plant was one of the world’s first domesticated crops. There are 40 different species of mustard plants, but white, black, and brown are the ones used to make mustard. Mustard is made from the mustard plant’s seeds after they are cracked and soaked in a liquid. According to The Association for Dressings and Sauces, Americans consume approximately $203 million dollars’ worth of mustard per year, and most of the world’s mustard supply is grown on the Canadian plains.

How to Celebrate Mustard Day and Unite with People

You can celebrate National Mustard Day by inviting friends and family over for a barbeque and experimenting with new types of mustard while, of course, wearing your favorite mustard-colored shirt!

There are dozens of types of mustard. Spicy brown, yellow, dijon, honey, and whole grain should be available at your local supermarket to buy and taste and sample at your mustard party. More exotic mustards, such as applewood smoked bacon mustard, caramelized onion mustard, and champagne maple mustard, can be purchased from amazon or specialty stores.

In honor of National Mustard Day, you can also try different recipes using mustard, such as mustard ice cream (see video!), a version of which is served by Culver’s exclusively at the National Mustard Day festival.

Homemade mustard is a surprisingly easy task

According to chilipeppermadness.com:

Combine one cup mustard seeds with two cups liquid of your choice, such as water, wine, beer, vinegar, or others of your choosing, adding additional extra ingredients, such as honey, garlic, onion, or siracha, if desired.

Add all ingredients to a glass jar, shake, and store in a dark place for one or two days to ferment, pulsing in a blender afterwards, if desired, for a smoother mustard.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can take a road trip to the free National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin and partake in the mustard festivities! You can also show your mustard dedication by becoming an official sponsor of National Mustard Day through the National Mustard Museum website.