Cutting the mustard
Country Life UK|August 17, 2022
It might look brown and raggedy before it's harvested, but a crop of white mustard seeds in Cambridgeshire is about to be turned into one of our hottest and best loved British condiments, as Harry Wallop reports
Harry Wallop
Cutting the mustard

TO the uninitiated, the field in does not T northern Cambridgeshire look very promising. I think, for a moment, it is full of weeds-3ft high, brown and raggedy. However, this plot in Thorney represents a minor miracle of British farming. The crop is Sinapis alba or white mustard and the 10 hectares (just under 25 acres) are in the process of being turned into about 25 tons of mustard seeds, which will be ground into a very fine powder before ending up in a pot of Colman's.

James Burgess, who has been driving the vast Claas 780 Lexion combine harvester down the field, is on a break. He pops open one of the inch-long dried seed pods and six tiny seeds roll into his hand. We try them: at first, you get no more than a mild pepperiness, but then, the distinctive kick hits the back of your tongue. It is unmistakably mustard and pretty much the only spice that Britain grows commercially.

Mr Burgess insists he is a fan. 'Oh, yes! I love it on a ham sandwich and if I'm having roast beef, it's got to be on the side of the plate.' I'm tempted to think his endorsement is because Colman indirectly pays his wages, yet his fondness for the yellow stuff is reflected across the country. Last year, 9.7 million jars and 1.5 million tins of Colman's were sold: it is estimated that two out of every five households have the distinctive packaging in their pantry or fridge.

Colman's is one of the very oldest brands in Britain, older than rival store-cupboard staples Cadbury's drinking chocolate, Tiptree jam, or Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce. Founded in 1814, the year before the Battle of Waterloo, it seems as British as the Duke of Wellington himself. Yet only a few years ago, there was a strong possibility that Colman's of Norwich -as the company proudly brands itself might no longer have been made using any English mustard seeds.

Bu hikaye Country Life UK dergisinin August 17, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Country Life UK dergisinin August 17, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

COUNTRY LIFE UK DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
Country Life UK

Kitchen garden cook - Apples

'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'

time-read
2 dak  |
October 23, 2024
The original Mr Rochester
Country Life UK

The original Mr Rochester

Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre

time-read
5 dak  |
October 23, 2024
Get it write
Country Life UK

Get it write

Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution

time-read
6 dak  |
October 23, 2024
'Sloes hath ben my food'
Country Life UK

'Sloes hath ben my food'

A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright

time-read
3 dak  |
October 23, 2024
Souvenirs of greatness
Country Life UK

Souvenirs of greatness

FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.

time-read
3 dak  |
October 23, 2024
Plants for plants' sake
Country Life UK

Plants for plants' sake

The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson

time-read
7 dak  |
October 23, 2024
Capturing the castle
Country Life UK

Capturing the castle

Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker

time-read
6 dak  |
October 23, 2024
Nature's own cathedral
Country Life UK

Nature's own cathedral

Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods

time-read
5 dak  |
October 23, 2024
All that money could buy
Country Life UK

All that money could buy

A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages

time-read
8 dak  |
October 23, 2024
In with the old
Country Life UK

In with the old

Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery

time-read
5 dak  |
October 23, 2024