In the next three blog entries, I’m going to cover the trifecta of condiments– mayo, ketchup and mustard.

I’ll start with mustard because it’s super easy. You just need mustard seeds or mustard powder, water, a little vinegar and a blender. The rest is optional.

My friends Ellen, Christine and I made mustard for gifts one year. With three cooks adding various things, we came up with an interesting, delicious combination. Too bad we’ll never be able to replicate that recipe.

This time, I took notes.

I threw in ground flax seed (omega 3) and turmeric, (an anti-inflammatory) because I like sneaking healthy things in wherever I can.

This is spicy mustard. If you want it less spicy, add less whole mustard seeds, more vinegar and more honey.

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 tablespoons of brown mustard seeds
2 tablespoons of dry mustard powder
1/4 cup of water
1 teaspoon of sea salt (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons of honey or sugar (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons of lemon juice, vinegar or wine (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon of turmeric (optional)
1 tablespoon of ground flax seed (optional)
1-2 tablespoons of whey (optional)

Soak the mustard seeds for a few hours (or overnight)
Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until it looks like mustard.
That’s it.

It will be quite spicy and maybe even a little bitter at first. It will take a few days for the flavor to fully develop and for the spice to mellow.

Store in the refrigerator in a glass jar. The mustard should keep for several months. It’s getting to be BBQ season and my husband IS the 2008 Hot Dog Eating Champion of Columbia County, so our jar might not make it through May.