Skip to main content

Distributed for Reaktion Books

Mustard

A Global History

Distributed for Reaktion Books

Mustard

A Global History

Whether grainy or smooth, spicy or sweet, Dijon, American, or English, mustard accompanies our food and flavors our life around the globe. It has been a source of pleasure, health, and myth from ancient times to the present day, its tiny seed a symbol of faith and its pungent flavor a testimony to refined taste. There are stories of mustard plasters used to treat melancholy, runners eating mustard to prevent cramps, and Christians spreading mustard seeds along pilgrimage trails.

In this delightful global history of all things Grey Poupon and gleaming yellow, Demet Güzey takes readers on a tour of the ubiquitous mustard, exploring its origins, its use in medicine and in the kitchen, its place in literature, language, and religion, and its strong symbolism of sharpness, perseverance, and strength. Packed with entertaining mustard facts and illustrations as well as a selection of historic and modern recipes, this surprising history of one of the world’s most loved condiments will appeal to all food history aficionados.

144 pages | 50 color plates, 10 halftones | 4 3/4 x 7 3/4 | © 2019

Edible

Food and Gastronomy


Reaktion Books image

View all books from Reaktion Books

Reviews

Won

Gourmand World Cookbook Awards: UK Award for the Best Spices Book

"Güzey has packed in much condiment commentary in such a small volume as she examines the pantry of history for sightings of the extraordinary seed. . . . It’s the perfect book for those who cannot contemplate supper without the little yellow jar in attendance. Pass the mustard, please."

Field

"If you love mustard as much as I do (okay, maybe that’s not possible), then this book is a must. Güzey has unlocked all the secrets of mustard culture and gives us a deeper appreciation of the king of condiments. This little gem is loaded with history, literature, art, and the things that make mustard more than just something we eat. That sweet honey mustard, that nose-tingling Dijon, and that earthy truffle mustard will all taste even better when you devour this excellent book."

Barry Levenson, curator and founder of the National Mustard Museum, Wisconsin

Be the first to know

Get the latest updates on new releases, special offers, and media highlights when you subscribe to our email lists!

Sign up here for updates about the Press