Dijon mustard is quite spicy though, but it's that "up to the nose" spiciness. Eastern European mustards are usually milder and what I had in north is more spicy in the traditional sense.
One thing that I find surprising in France, is how little variety there is in mustard in most supermarkets. Basically you have a choice of dijon mustard from 20 different brands that all taste the same and then some "old fashioned" ones.
On the other hand, if your reference for mustard intensity is American mustard, then Dijon will come as a shock.
Watching Europeans (incl. Brits) watch Americans put mustard on things is always fun. The eyes go wide, and there's a look of panicked disbelief as you can see them thinking "No, stop, too much!!!"
I tend not to buy German brands. Not because they are bad or anything, but because their mustard was quite different (usually sweeter, less sharp, or less sour) every time I tried. They could be used as an ersatz in a pinch, but I’d rather have the stuff I am used to and which won’t mess with my usual recipes.
I know that there are some German mustards that are very close to Dijon, but on balance the risk is much lower going with a French brand.
If I may ask, which non-French dijon mustard did you bring them? As a dijon-lover myself, I just wonder what the closest match, or an acceptable substitute, to French dijon would be (I'm in the U.S.).
So I've only been using the Maille brand Dijon mustard until recently, and while I did like the flavor profile, it was waaay to strong for me. So I decided to try some other brands, and well, the only thing Dijon mustards appear to have in common is mustard seeds, white wine and Dijon in the name.
I've had a few which were very mild, like Edmond Fallot, and one which was a bit stronger but still mild like Grey Poupon. Especially the Grey Poupon was perfect for this grilled ham I like to have in a sandwich.
Of course, now that I found a new favorite mustard, it's sold out due to the mentioned shortage on mustard seeds...
Careful there; you dismissed not only Dijon mustard but also Bavarian sweet mustard, both very traditional mustards.
Considering that even the word mustard comes from old French, it is worth considering that mustards can be created to fit more than just one taste profile.
One local mustard that is extremely popular in my country in certain eateries is yellow mustard seeds mixed with an equal amount of room temperature water, left to sit at room temperature and never refrigerated for example; try at your own risk though.
I’d love to know how the Trader Joe’s Dijon mustard compares. It’s made in France, cheap/available, and I always thought it tasted better than Grey Poupon
Ironically and paradoxically, Dijon mustard can be found in neighboring countries, because non-French people don't eat as much of the stuff. In France the minute any inventory shows up anywhere it's immediately depleted, whereas in other countries it can remain on shelves for weeks.
Changing the allotment between France and other countries for exporting firms takes time, and so it does happen that more mustard is sent to countries that don't much care for it, while the French are deprived of it.
You slather American mustard onto a hot dog; it's sweet and sour and may or may not contain any actual mustard flour. English mustard is a whole different beast with a sharp, hot flavour. French ("Dijon" in the USA) mustard is different again, and focuses on the mustardy flavour. German mustard is in between English and French styles and ideal for a good pork sausage.
Now, when there's a shortage of yer Dijon ketchup, that's when you're going to see Americans up in arms, with apologies to the BNL.
Sure, it depends on the sausage so. As a Bavarian with French inlaws I have obviously some complex rules around which mustard is acceptable with which kind of sausage. Dijon is great woth French fries and steaks so. Which is one reason why mustard is scrce in France, the French simply consume more of it.
I recently moved back to the US after living in France for nearly a decade. I bought some Maille Dijon mustard thinking it would taste the same...boy was I wrong. I was disgusted, it tasted nothing like what I had in France. Would the recipe change per country? I checked the label and it seems that it was fabricated here in the US, so perhaps that has something to do with it?
Mustard was my go-to condiment. I loved Dijon and stone grounds Dijon's. However, I lost my taste and smell in 2020 due to Covid-19. When my taste came back everything was fine but my smell didn't return for months. When it did, MANY things have an acrid taste to it. Dijon mustard, Pepsi, Coke, even Iceburg lettuce in different cuts (shredded is fine but in whole leaf I have issues) all taste the same and its so acrid that I can't touch the stuff any more.
Bog standard French's Yellow Mustard still rocks even if the taste is a little dulled due to my new smeller.
So the story is a bitter sweet for me... almost literally lol.
One thing that I find surprising in France, is how little variety there is in mustard in most supermarkets. Basically you have a choice of dijon mustard from 20 different brands that all taste the same and then some "old fashioned" ones.
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