As appears in the French Culinary Institute's faculty newsletter,
The Nilsletter
Catherine Davis
Editorial Intern
Published: July 30, 2010
As July comes to a close, leaving us in of one of New York’s hottest recorded summers, let us give pause and consider one culinary delight that has no doubt made these past humid weeks, if not enjoyable, then at least bearable. I am referring, of course, to mustard. If you are not sure how to go about showing your appreciation for this most noble of condiments, but are determined to do so, you might consider paying a visit to the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin. There, you will find on display over five thousand jars, bottles, and tubes of prepared mustards from all fifty states and from over sixty countries.
Barry Levenson began collecting jars of mustard in 1986; right after his beloved Red Sox lost the World Series. The hobby may have begun as a diversion, but it quickly became an obsession, he told NPR yesterday—an obsession which led to him arguing a case in front of the Supreme Court with a mini-jar of room-service-mustard in his pocket. Levenson has since quit law, and has expanded his spicy collection considerably. The museum’s website boasts that it is “home to hundreds of items of great mustard historical importance, including mustard pots and vintage mustard advertisements.”
For those who would rather celebrate this renowned condiment in private, the first Saturday of every August (this year it falls on the 7th) is National Mustard Day. Hopefully, the next time you are squeezing Classic Yellow on your hot dog or putting Poupon in your potatoes, you will think about how sad you would be if mustard didn't exist, or at least about how funny Levenson’s museum is.
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