History of Mustard

History of Mustard Mustard seeds with mortar and pestle

While mustard appeared in recipes as early as 42AD, it was not until the 1720s that mustard appeared on English tables.

Prior to this, English mustard powder was ground up to make mustard that was very coarse, as Meaux mustard still is today.

In 1720, that all changed when a woman named Mrs Clement, who lived in Durham, began grinding mustard seeds very smoothly. She then put her ground seeds through a mill and sieved them to remove the hulls. Her smoother style of mustard was a hit and is why this style of mustard is known as 'Durham Mustard'.

When King George I became a devotee, nobody would eat beef without mustard. This is reflected in historic KEEN'S Mustard advertising, which states that 'meat needs mustard' and 'mustard makes the meal'.

Mustard's hot and zesty reputation wasn't limited to food. It was also considered a cure for colds and fevers.

Did You Know?

To protect mustard producers, mustard regulations were introduced in 1658 making it an offence for unregistered producers to make the sauce.

Keen's Mustard A Keen History
  • 1801: KEEN's Mustard founder, Thomas Keen, is born in Camberwell, England
  • 1825: Thomas marries Harriett Toulmin. In 1831, they move into The Elms, the Toulmin family home on High Street…
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