Information about Brassica nigra, B. juncea, Sinapsis alba

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There are three types of mustard that are used for culinary and medicinal reasons. Black mustard grows best in southern Europe. Brown mustard comes from India. White mustard has been naturalized in Europe and North America and can be grown in temperate climates. The ancient Greeks found mustard useful for internal and external medicine. It is thought that the Romans probably brought mustard to Britain. The Romans liked to mix the seeds in wine and use as a condiment. They also ate the leaves as a vegetable. The herbalist Gerard gives a recipe for pounding the seeds with vinegar to make a sauce to serve with meat, which was used as an aid for digestion and an appetite stimulant.
Step 1:

Appearance of Mustard

  • Mustard is an erect annual that grows to 3-4 feet high.
  • The leaves are narrow and lobed.
  • Racemes of brilliant yellow flowers are born aloft followed by pods that contain the seeds.
Step 2:

Cultivation of Mustard

  • The different varieties of mustard require different soils.
  • White Mustard (Sinapsis alba) prefers heavy sandy soil.
  • Black Mustard (Brassica nigra) prefers rich soil.
  • Brown Mustard (Brassica juncea) is similar to black mustard except smaller and requires similar soil.
Step 3:

Harvesting Mustard

  • Mustard must be harvested when the pods are fully ripe but before they burst open.
  • The harvested mustard is stacked in sheaves.
  • When the plant is completely dry, the mustard is threshed.
Step 4:

Aroma and Taste

  • Brown mustard first tastes bitter and then is followed by a hot spicy sensation.
  • White mustard is very sweet followed by mild heat.
  • Black mustard is strong and pungent.
Step 5:

Culinary Usage

  • Mustard is a popular herb. It is most widely known, perhaps, as a condiment spice in which the seeds are made into a paste and sold as mustard to be used on hotdogs, hamburgers, and anything else you want to spice up.
  • In addition, the whole seeds can be added to curry, soup, stew, sauces, and pickles.
  • The leaves are not used as a cooked vegetable but are sometimes added to salads.
  • White seeds are most commonly used for pickling.
  • Brown seeds are usually heated in oil and used for flavoring in India.
Step 6:

Traditional and Folk Medicine Usage

  • Historically, mustard has been used to induce vomiting, as a diuretic, and as a stimulant.
  • Mustard plasters have been thought as being effective for treating arthritis and rheumatism.
  • In Britain, a mustard footbath is the traditional remedy for colds.

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