Which
country is the world’s largest producer of mustard seed?
Answer: Canada.
You can find Canadian
mustard seed used in mustard factories in France and Germany as well as
in North America.
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Which
has a longer history, Plochman’s Mustard or a Van Gogh painting?
Answer:
Plochman’s mustard. Van Gogh wasn’t born until 1853, one year after
our company started.
The Premium Mustard
Mills, which eventually became Plochman, Inc., started the year before
Vincent was born. Although they began about the same time, there the
similarities end. A Van Gogh costs millions now, and few people own
them. A bottle of Plochman's costs little, but millions own them. You
can look forward to a new jar of Plochman's as being authentic. Don't
expect the same from a new Van Gogh.
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How
long have people been using mustard for seasoning?
Answer: For
recorded history, and probably, therefore, for a long time before that.
Here are some dates
that we found mentioned:
Abraham is said to
have served tongue with mustard.
The Egyptians are
said to have eaten mustard seeds by chewing them along with meat.
6th
century BC: Pythagoras mentioned mustard as a cure for scorpion bites.
(Okay, that’s not a seasoning, but it is interesting. It appears that
Pythagoras had theories about more things than right triangles.)
6th
Century BC: The story of Buddha, the lady, and the mustard seed.
500 BC: Aristophanes
wrote of mustard-spiced stews.
200 BC: The Roman
playwright, Plautus, in Pseudolus, has the cook saying: "It
is rubbed with criminal mustard, which burns the eyes of those who grate
it."
1st
Century AD: Pliny the Elder claimed that mustard would improve lazy
housewives.
9th
Century AD: During Charlemagne’s reign, mustard was cultivated on
imperial lands and in the monasteries in Paris.
1758: We have
found unconfirmed references that Benjamin Franklin was responsible
for bringing mustard to the United States.
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Our
company had been making mustard for 41 years before the introduction of
what mustard-loving food item at Chicago’s Columbian Exposition? (p.s.
Patience Pays)
Answer: The hot dog,
or at least the combination of the hot dog sausage and the hot dog bun.
You can learn more
about this great event (and other theories of the hot dog’s origins)
by linking to this website:
http://www.hot-dog.org/TheHFiles.htm
And don’t forget to
see our favorite question on the Hot Dog Council’s Trivia Quiz:
http://www.hot-dog.org/quiz_3.htm
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What
are the origins of the term "Mustard?"
Answer: There
are several theories, one that dates back to Roman times based on the
use of "Must" or unfermented wine to make mustard. Two other
theories come from the town motto of the town of Dijon France.
Originally mustard
was called Sinapis. Some students claim that during Roman times
the word Sinapis started to be replaced by words such as Mustum,
Mustarum, and Mustardum as new wine, or "Must" was mixed with
mustard seeds to make a paste.
More recent theories
come from France. In one, the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Bold, gave
the town of Dijon a coat of arms in 1382 with the motto "MOULT ME
TARDE" (based on Multum Ardeo – I ardently desire). As the
story goes, the motto was adopted by the town’s many mustard-makers,
who eventually shortened it into Moul-tarde (to burn much).
Similarly, another
story has it that the motto was given the citizens of Dijon by King
Charles VI. In this version, the motto "MOULT ME TARDE" meant
"Off to Battle." A humorous side note on this story was that
some opponents of the Dijon army saw the motto but missed the
"ME," in the middle, and came to believe they were dealing
with an army of mustard-makers.
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What
religious writings include references to mustard?
Answer: Many of
the world’s largest religions. We have found references from
Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Bahai, Judaism, and Hinduism.
For more information,
see Religious References to Mustard
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Which
famous authors and speakers refer to mustard?
We have found
references to mustard by Shakespeare, Alexandre Dumas, Hans Christian
Andersen and John Lennon. If you find
more, send them to plochman@plochman.com.
To see the
references, go to: Mustard in Literature and the Arts
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What
famous conqueror sent his opponent a sack of mustard seeds for
intimidation?
Answer: Alexander the
Great.
Darius, King of
Persia, sent Alexander a bag of sesame seeds, meant to suggest the
number of Darius’ troops. Alexander, in return, sent Darius a bag of
mustard seeds, not only more numerous because of their smaller size, but
also more potent and fiery than sesame.
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How
is mustard heat different from pepper heat?
The sensation of heat
from mustard comes from a volatile oil released when mustard seed is
mixed with water. In very hot mustards the "heat" travels up
the nose, even making your eyes water. It then dissipates, which we
think is a favorable feature of mustard. Pepper heat, on the other hand,
is concentrated in the mouth. It does not dissipate quickly, and it can
be cumulative.
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What
company made writing with food possible by inventing the first
successful squeeze mustard in the 1950’s?
Answer: Plochman.
We invented our
Original Squeeze Barrel mustard in the late 1950’s. The other leading
brand of squeeze mustard introduced their squeeze in the early 1970’s.
Now the majority of mustard in the United States is sold in squeeze
packaging.
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The
United States had how many states in 1852, the year we were founded?
Answer: 31
Which
of the top 5 brands of mustard in the United States is still family
owned and operated?
Answer: Plochman’s.
How
do I send new mustard facts and trivia to Plochman?
Send an email to plochman@plochman.com
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