The Mustard Project

Hello!

I thought I'd share a little project with you that I just started.

A few weeks ago, a local bargain grocer was having a going out of business sale. very sad, but we managed to snatch up about 3 pint jars worth of mustard seeds for around $3!  We have been making our own mustard (and loving it) with them.  It is easy as pie to make gourmet mustard in your own kitchen for cheap!

All you do is soak 4oz of your seeds in 3/4 cup beer (guinness is my favorite so far)  and 3/4 cup vinegar (any beer, any vinegar, you can also use 1 1/2 cup beer or 1 1/2 cup vinegar if you like) overnight, then toss it in the blender with a tablespoon of brown sugar, a teaspoon of salt, and either a tablespoon of honey (if you don't like super spicy mustard) or a clove of chopped up garlic (if you like a little kick) and blend it up until it stops being runny. BAM! mustard! as long as you didn't use anything perishable, it keeps in your pantry for a couple months (assuming you don't consume it first), and it is WONDERFUL!  We can't eat store bought mustard any more. it has ruined us for them.

...The problem is, unless you luck out and find mustard seed on the cheap, it can get a little spendy.  So, I did some research and learned that mustard is easy to grow, and propegates itself easily!  I tested some of the seeds we bought and fortunately they weren't treated with any chemicals to stop sprouting...so I dug through the recycling bin and came up with an egg carton (wonderful for starting seedlings in because they will biodegrade, which makes it easy to transfer your seedlings to a pot or garden plot without damaging the fragile little roots), and a large plastic strawberry box (we bought a flat, so we have no shortage of these useful boxes right now!)

Add a little potting soil, and put the egg carton in side the strawberry box. about 6 of the egg divots fit in mine, so i put 2 mustard seeds into each one just to be sure that they sprout.  The front of our house is south-facing, and has a big window, about 12 feet long, so it is really ideal for sprouting and growing plants in...unfortunately, it is also Raisin-cat's favorite window, so i think i am going to have to build some sort of box this summer that takes up about half of the window, to keep her from knocking my plantlings over. :/

I'll post progress pictures of my mustard-babies once they start poking out of the dirt.

have a wonderful day, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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edit: well, too much moisture was already evaporating out of the little holes in the lid of the box, so i just sealed them up with hot glue, and it seems to be doing the trick :)