Hits the nose like wasabi': the best (and worst) supermarket English mustard, tasted and rated

"Being a dedicated sort, I tasted all 10 of these mustards straight from the jar. With watering eyes, pumping endorphins and overactive salivary glands, I licked each mustard off a spoon, then quickly cleansed my palate with plenty of milk and water to subdue the heat. But the sandwich I had at the end, with my new favourite mustard, was worth every fiery spoonful."

"Mustard is intriguingly complex in flavour powerful, umami, hot yet easy to make. At its simplest, it is little more than fermented mustard seeds soaked in brine until viscous and bubbling. Sadly, however, many modern brands, especially the cheaper ones, see fit to include unnecessary additives, such as xanthan gum and wheat flour. And, rather predictably, the cheaper the mustard, the less actual mustard it tends to contain."

"Much as with mayonnaise, many processed mustards contain spirit vinegar instead of more subtle acids, such as white-wine or cider vinegar. Spirit vinegar is harsh and sharp, dominates the overall flavour and can result in an unappealingly aerated, mousse-like texture. In fact, six of the mustards I tasted were so similar, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they were all made in the same factory. They were essentially carbon copies of each other sulphuric, sweet, hot and moussey"

Tasting ten mustards neat produced watering eyes, pumping endorphins and overactive salivary glands, with one standout becoming a sandwich favourite. Mustard delivers powerful, umami heat yet remains easy to make; at its simplest it is fermented mustard seeds soaked in brine until viscous. Many modern brands, especially cheaper ones, include unnecessary additives such as xanthan gum and wheat flour, and often substitute spirit vinegar for subtler acids. Spirit vinegar yields a harsh, sharp flavour and a mousse-like aerated texture. Several supermarket mustards were nearly identical—sulphuric, sweet, hot and moussey. Seek real-vinegar mustards without emulsifiers, or make your own.

Read at www.theguardian.com