Everyday Is a School Day
The phrase “every day is a school day” might be a tired cliche, but it holds true when you are both a foodie and someone who works in the Miami snacks and catering business. Every day Miami’s rich cultural diversity offers up nuggets of culinary knowledge and inspiration. Sometimes, these bits of knowledge come from the most unlikely of places. Last week, for example, while catering a 10-year olds’ birthday party, I got to talking with the boy’s father, a German expat working here in Miami for the past two years. Given Oktoberfest was in full swing at the time, the conversation naturally shifted to German foods and beer. To my surprise, I learned that Germans don’t typically eat their pretzels with mustard like Americans. Instead, they largely reserve the condiment to meats, and in particular sausages. The father then went on to explain that Germany has mustards which are different to the traditional “yellow” mustard found in America.
Further Research
As someone who sells and caters with soft pretzels for a living, the news that Germans don’t put mustard on pretzels came as a bit of a shock. When I arrived back home after the birthday party, I quickly began to research how Americans came to love putting mustard on their pretzels. The answer, according to the internet, is that hot dog vendors, who were some of the first to popularize soft pretzels in America, offered their yellow hot dog mustard as a condiment. Back then the choice just made practical sense. Eventually the trend just stuck with Americans. Yet as the boy’s father noted, yellow mustard is not the only one around. At that very moment, I began to contemplate and research all of the other mustards out there that people could enjoy with their soft pretzels. Below is the list I came up with:
Some Favorites
- Yellow: Dating back to the 1900’s, American style yellow mustard with its creamy texture and mild flavor, is made from white mustard seeds, vinegar and turmeric.
- Dijon: Originally from the French city of Dijon, Dijon mustard is made from black and brown mustard seeds and is flavored with verjuice, a wine byproduct, giving it a bit of an acidic kick.
- Dusseldorf: One of the first mustards made in Germany, Dusseldorf mustard is made from whole rather than powdered mustard seeds, giving it a bit of a sweet-and sour flavor mixed with a spicy kick.
- Bavarian: More on the sweet side, Bavarian mustard combines both yellow and brown mustard seeds with sugar, spices and vinegar. It’s a mainstay in the German region of Bavaria and Octoberfest.
- Honey: Made with honey and mustard seed, honey mustard is believed to have originated in Ancient Egypt. Whatever its origins, it definitely ranks toward the sweeter side of the spectrum when it comes to mustard.
- Brown: Boasting higher concentration of brown mustard seeds mixed with sweeter spices like allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger, brown mustard also has a more grainy texture. Like yellow mustard, the brown variety is popular in America.
- Beer: Replacing or in addition to a vinegar base, beer mustard has less acidity than other types, but delivers more heat as a result.
- English: A mix of white and brown mustard seeds, English mustard forgoes a vinegar base to really pack a bunch. Be careful with this one!
A Wide Variety
In truth, a wide variety of mustards beyond what’s listed above. That said, mustards are basically made from grounding mustard seeds with some sort of liquid base. Depending on the strength of the seed itself, the degree of head involved and the more or less acidic the base for the most part determines the strength. Added flavoring such as sugar and spices also add another dimension to taste. Still, the only way to truly discover your favorite varieties and brands is to try each of them for yourself. When hosting a party, however, we recommended offering a selection of dips and condiments for any pretzels served. A little extra choice at a party can go a long way in winning over your guests.
The Pretzel Matters
Whichever dip or mustard selection you choose, just remember that condiments contribute to only half the experience. To get the best flavor and texture requires the very best soft pretzels. Our Super Pretzel range of soft pretzels make the superior choice for any snacking occasion. If you are looking for creative snack ideas for an event, for your family or just looking for ways to get involved in the snacks and catering industry more generally, get into contact with our experience team via LinkedIn.
