Sixth Day of Christmas Gift

Out of all the gifts from the kitchen I’ve made so far, if someone gave me today’s gift, homemade mustard, it is the one that I would be over the moon about.

I love mustard, especially gourmet flavored mustard, and especially if someone makes it for me. This isn’t meant as a hint, but to let you know that mustard is a great gift!

On the sixth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:
Two Jars of Mustard
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Homemade Kahlua Liqueur
Lemon-Sugar Hand Scrub
Cranberry Citrus Vodka
and a bottle of Tomato Dust

The first mustard takes a couple of weeks for the flavors to soften and meld. The second only takes a couple of days to do the same.

Pumpkin Butter Mustard

1/2 cup dry mustard, such as Coleman’s
1/4 cup pumpkin butter (or make it apple butter, if you prefer)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl.

Transfer to a jar. Seal the jar and store it in a cool and dark place for two weeks. I am storing mine in the cupboard with my mixing bowls. Mark it on your calendar to taste the mustard after two weeks and if it is still a bit bitter, set it aside for another week.

Once it is to your liking, refrigerate and use within 3 months.

Makes about 1 cup

Homemade Dijon Mustard

2 cups dry white wine
1 cup finely minced onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
4-ounce container Coleman’s dry mustard (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons honey
1  1/2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt

In a small saucepan bring the wine, onion, and garlic to a boil. Then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a medium bowl, set aside to cool slightly, for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, place the dry mustard into the same saucepan. Place a strainer over the mustard in the saucepan. Once the wine mixture has cooled for 10 minutes, strain it into the saucepan with the mustard. Discard the onions.

Rinse out the strainer and the bowl. Then place the strainer over the bowl and set it aside. Whisk the mustard-wine mixture in the saucepan until it is as smooth as possible.

Strain it again, into the bowl.

There will be lumps of dry mustard left in the strainer.

Use a rubber spatula to push the lumps through the strainer. Then use the spatula to scrape off the mustard that came through from the bottom of the strainer back into the bowl.

Whisk the mixture well again, then strain, one last time back into the saucepan. Whisk in the honey, oil, and salt.

Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly with the rubber spatula (if it is heatproof, otherwise use the whisk) until the mixture thickens about 10 minutes. It won’t be as thick as mustard yet, but it will set up and thicken more as it cools.

Remove from heat, cool, then transfer to a jar and refrigerate.

It takes a couple of days for the mustard flavors to meld and mellow completely.

Makes just over 1 cup