mustard

Home > ... > Plants and Animals > Plants > Plants > ...

mustard

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

mustard common name for the Cruciferae, a large family chiefly of herbs of north temperate regions. The easily distinguished flowers of the Cruciferae have four petals arranged diagonally ( "cruciform" ) and alternating with the four sepals. Most of the nearly 50 genera indigenous to the United States are found in the West. The family includes numerous weeds and wildflowers, e.g., peppergrass , toothwort , and shepherd's-purse . The Cruciferae, often rich in sulfur compounds and in vitamin C, include important food and condiment plants, many cultivated from ancient times. Especially important are the herbs of the genus Brassica, e.g., rape , rutabaga, turnip , mustard, and numerous varieties of the cabbage species. Cress , watercress , horse-radish , and radish are also of this family. A few species are cultivated as ornamentals, e.g., candytuft , rose of Jericho , wallflower , and types of stock , rocket , and alyssum . Woad was formerly an important dye source. The herbs of the family that are called mustard are species of Brassica native to Europe and W Asia. Most important commercially are the black mustard ( B. nigra ) and white mustard ( B. alba ). These are yellow-flowered annuals naturalized in the United States; the black mustard is often a weed infesting grainfields, as is also the charlock, or wild mustard ( B. arvensis ). The black and the white mustard resemble each other and are used more or less similarly. They are cultivated for the seeds, which are ground and used as a condiment, usually mixed to a paste with vinegar or oil, sometimes with spices or with an admixture of starch to reduce the pungency. (The pungency of mustard does not develop until it is moistened.) Mustards are also grown as salad plants and for greens, as are the Indian, or leaf, mustard ( B. juncea ) and the Chinese mustard, or bok-choi ( B. chinensis ). The white mustard is used in some places as forage for sheep and as green manure. Black mustard seeds are more pungent than the white and yield a yellowish, biting oil (mustard oil) that has also been useful in medicine. Mustard is classified in the divison Magnoliophyta , class Magnoliopsida, order Capparales, family Cruciferae.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1E1-mustard" title="Facts and information about mustard">mustard</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"mustard." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 8 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"mustard." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (November 8, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-mustard.html

"mustard." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved November 08, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-mustard.html

Learn more about citation styles

mustard

A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition | 2005 | | © A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

mustard Powdered seeds of black or brown mustard (Brassica nigra or B. juncea), or white or yellow mustard (Sinapsis alba), or a mixture. English mustard contains not more than 10% wheat flour and turmeric (still referred to in parts of England as Durham mustard, after Mrs Clements of Durham who produced the first commercial dried mustard in 1722).

French mustard: made from dehusked seeds (the light‐coloured Dijon) or black or brown seeds with salt, spices, and white wine or unripe grape juice. Bordeaux (usually called French mustard) is black and brown seeds mixed with sugar, vinegar, and herbs. Meaux mustard is grainy and made with mixed seeds.

American mustard, mild and sweet, is made with white seeds, sugar, vinegar, and turmeric.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O39-mustard" title="Facts and information about mustard">mustard</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

DAVID A. BENDER. "mustard." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 8 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

DAVID A. BENDER. "mustard." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (November 8, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-mustard.html

DAVID A. BENDER. "mustard." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Retrieved November 08, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-mustard.html

Learn more about citation styles

mustard

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | 2006 | | © The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 2006, originally published by Oxford University Press 2006. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

mustard originally prepared with ‘must’ (new wine). It is frequently used to evoke ideas of warmth and enthusiasm, as in keen as mustard.
Colonel Mustard is the name of one of the six stock characters constituting the murderer and suspects in the game of Cluedo.
a grain of mustard seed a proverbial expression for something which, while small in itself, is capable of great development; the allusion is to Matthew 13:31, in which the kingdom of heaven is likened to a grain of mustard seed, tiny when it is sown, but becoming a tree when grown. (The plant referred to is thought to be the black mustard plant, which in Palestine grows to a great height.)

See also cut the mustard.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O214-mustard" title="Facts and information about mustard">mustard</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "mustard." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 8 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "mustard." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (November 8, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-mustard.html

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "mustard." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Retrieved November 08, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-mustard.html

Learn more about citation styles

Facts and information from other sites

Related articles from newspapers, magazines, and more

Mustard flavors and colors have spread beyond traditional yellow
Newspaper article from: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; 8/6/2000; ; 700+ words ; ...three or four mustards; maybe a sweet-hot and a honey mustard in addition to...500 different mustards for sale, along with mustard memorabilia...the pepper hot mustards category of the 2000 World Wide Mustard Competition at...
Mustards of Merit
Newspaper article from: The Washington Post; 10/31/2001; ; 700+ words ; ...European-style mustards. Hundreds of large...world, share the mustard market. But making...the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum in Mount...assemblage of 3,341 mustards from all 50 states...Note: All the mustards are available by...the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum, Mount Horeb...
Making Elegant Mustards At Home
Newspaper article from: Chicago Sun-Times; 6/25/1992; ; 700+ words ; ...called New York-style mustard.) So I was surprised...the United States more mustard is consumed than any...supermarket shelves: mustards with green peppercorns...with the variety of mustards has certainly expanded...its pungent flavor, mustard contrasts well with...
Mustard packs a pungent punch
Newspaper article from: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; 7/8/1998; ; 700+ words ; ...many muscular aches. Mustard is also a powerful...The most basic of mustards is simply a mixture of mustard powder (Colman...that most homemade mustards tend to be a bit more...Also, homemade mustard needs to mature at...
MUSTARD IN SEASON
Newspaper article from: Jerusalem Post; 9/12/1997; ; 700+ words ; ...or fortifiers like mustard oil, flour or sugar. French mustards also do not contain...milder-tasting mustards. In herbal medicine, black mustard seeds are considered...to prepared Dijon mustards or buying mustard powder and starting...
mustard MANIA
Magazine article from: Vegetarian Times; 10/1/2006; ; 700+ words ; ...crusted breads. Gourmet mustards take everyday dishes...Levenson adds habanero mustard to spice up guacamole...and serves cranberry mustard as an alternative to...over 500 different mustards for sale at the Mustard Museum (and a growing...
Mustard madness.
Newspaper article from: Journal-World (Lawrence, Kansas); 3/7/2007; 700+ words ; ...There are barbecue mustards, curry mustards, garlic mustards, kalamata olive mustard, cranberry mustard, tangerine...dipping. But others such as fruit mustards are gaining in popularity. Mustard pairings Levenson says the trip made...
MUSTARD A MUST FOR THE SPICE SHELF : YELLOW MUSTARD.(FOOD)
Newspaper article from: Daily News (Los Angeles, CA); 7/9/1997; 700+ words ; ...of the prepared mustards available. The...ballpark type mustard we grew up with...brown and yellow mustard. Dusseldorf, Bavarian and sweet mustards Dusselforf, Bavarian...in some crushed mustard seeds. Seasoned mustards Some hot mustards...
Mustard master spreads the news; Museum gets the message out about the versatile topping
Newspaper article from: Telegraph - Herald (Dubuque); 10/8/2003; ; 700+ words ; ...largest collection of mustards and related accoutrements...watch videos about mustard or the museum in...any money selling mustards were "slim and...Levenson has watched mustard's popularity grow...favoring grainy and hot mustards. Children also are spreading more mustard on food ...
Mustard: chemistry and potential as a nutraceutical ingredient.
Magazine article from: Canadian Chemical News; 11/1/1997; ; 700+ words ; ...oriental and brown mustards (Brassica juncea). Oriental and brown mustard flour both possess...other popular prepared mustard products such as French and German mustards in North America and Europe. Yellow mustard bran used to be a by...
Click to see an enlarged picture
mustard. (Image by Sanjay ach, GFDL)

For students and teachers!

Encyclopedia.com provides students and teachers facts, information, and biographies from verified, citable sources, including:

Encyclopedia.com provides students and teachers facts, information, and biographies from verified, citable sources, including:

Current mustard News: