Mustard Seeds

**Mustard plant** is a plant species in the genera *Brassica* and *Sinapis* in the family Brassicaceae. Mustard seed is used as a spice. Grinding and mixing the seeds with water, vinegar, or other liquids creates the yellow condiment known as prepared mustard. The seeds can also be pressed to make mustard oil, and the edible leaves can be eaten as mustard greens.

### Usage

Prevents Attack

Although some varieties of mustard plants were well-established crops in Hellenistic and Roman times, Zohary and Hopf note, "There are almost no archeological records available for any of these crops." Wild forms of mustard and its relatives, the radish and turnip, can be found over west Asia and Europe, suggesting their domestication took place somewhere in that area. However, Zohary and Hopf conclude: "Suggestions as to the origins of these plants are necessarily based on linguistic considerations." Encyclopædia Britannica states that mustard was grown by the Indus Civilization of 2500–1700 BCE. According to the Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission, "Some of the earliest known documentation of mustard's use dates back to Sumerian and Sanskrit texts from 3000 BC".

Species

Mild white mustard (Sinapis alba) grows wild in North Africa, the Middle East, and Mediterranean Europe, and has spread farther by long cultivation; oriental mustard (Brassica juncea), originally from the foothills of the Himalaya, is grown commercially in India, Canada, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and the US; black mustard (Brassica nigra) is grown in Argentina, Chile, the US and some European countries. Canada and Nepal are the world's major producers of mustard seed, between them accounting for around 57% of world production in 2010. White mustard (Sinapis alba) is commonly used as a cover crop in Europe (between UK and Ukraine). Many varieties exist, e.g. in Germany, Netherlands, mainly differing in lateness of flowering and resistance against white beet-cyst nematode (Heterodera schachtii). Farmers prefer late-flowering varieties, which do not produce seeds; they may become weeds in the subsequent year. Early vigor is important to cover the soil quickly and suppress weeds and protect the soil against erosion. In rotations with sugar beets, suppression of the white beet-cyst nematode is an important trait. Resistant white mustard varieties reduce nematode populations by 70–90%.

Recent research has studied varieties of mustards with high oil contents for use in the production of biodiesel, a renewable liquid fuel similar to diesel fuel. The biodiesel made from mustard oil has good flow properties and cetane ratings. The leftover meal after pressing out the oil has also been found to be an effective pesticide.

A genetic relationship between many species of mustard, along with turnips, cabbage, and their respective derivatives, has been observed and is described as the triangle of U.

## Mustard Seeds and Vampire Hunting

#### In Brief

To prevent a vampire from roaming about, a good solution is to sprinkle large amounts of mustard seeds outside. The vampire is forced to count every last seed before he passes, is soon caught out in the sun and dies.

Another use, particularly in Eastern Europe, was to sprinkle mustard seeds in the grave during burial, or if at all possible, inside the coffin before burial. The vampire will have to sort and count each seed before they can leave, they will starve to death for lack of blood.

#### Examples

##### Example 1

La Cegua is believed to have super-human abilities and is able to walk through solid objects, gravitate above ground and fly at extreme speeds in her efforts to lure men into her trap. To save yourself from such an encounter you should carry mustard seeds and throw them before her. She apparently will stop to try and pick up the magical seeds. As with other myths in Nicaraguan folklore, the tale of La Cegua is believed to ensure that men come straight home after work.

##### Example 2

...is that it? Nope. Depending once again on your source a vampire may also be affected by dog roses, may not pass through cross-roads, is affected by black dogs with white patches round the eyes, and can be detected by the bucking of a white horse being led over its grave. They can control the weather (perhaps only to the extent of summoning wind and rain), and the best material to stake them with is aspen, though wild hawthorn and whitethorn work almost as well. To prevent a vampire returning to its tomb a good solution is to sprinkle large amounts of mustard seeds outside. The vampire, constrained to count every last seed before he passes, is soon caught by the dawn and perishes.

##### Example 3

...Like many other vampire species the strigoii are thought to be incredibly obsessive and if you leave poppy seeds (or mustard seeds or many other kinds of things) at its grave then it will have to stop and count each one before it can move on. ...

##### Example 4

...In Christianity, the mustard seed symbolizes something small and insignificant that grows into something strong and powerful. Pope John XXII was such a fan of mustard that he created the post of Official Vatican Mustard-Maker, which still exists to this day. German folklore says that a bride should sew mustard seeds into the hem of her wedding dress to assure her dominance of household, and Danish and Indian lore says spreading mustard seeds around the exterior of a home keeps evil spirits away....

##### Example 5

...For good measure, one way you may not have heard of is to throw seeds (usually mustard) outside the door or place a fishing net outside a window. Vampires are compelled to count the seeds or the holes in the net, delaying them until the sun comes up....

##### Example 6

...It would appear that vampires suffered from extreme forms of OCD. According to ancient European peasant folklore, you could keep a vampire from rising and disturbing the peace if you filled his coffin with seeds. Upon waking from his dirt nap, the vampire would be compelled to count and eat all the seeds, and this would keep him occupied until sunrise. You could use carrot or mustard seed, but poppyseeds were favored because of their narcotic effect. After all, a drugged vampire is not a biting vampire.

If you think about it, this sort of explains why The Count on Sesame Street is obsessed with counting....

## In Other Folklore

##### Colleen Foye Bollen

Mustard has been used for everything from curing scorpion bites in the sixth century B.C., to symbolizing St. Matthew’s view of religious faith (“The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed”), to lending its name to a sharp-smelling poisonous gas during World War I.

According to old folklore, mustard can keep evil spirits out of a house, cure toothaches and clear up congestion of the lungs.

In medieval Europe, peasants chewed mustard seed to mask the off-flavors of spoiled foods that couldn’t be wasted, as well as to enhance their bland diets. In 1720, an Englishwoman named Mrs. Clement developed a commercial method of grinding mustard seeds into a fine powder, making fine-textured mustards a popular condiment.

Unlike most spices, mustard develops its taste only after the seeds are crushed and the powder becomes mixed with liquid.

White mustard seeds, also called yellow, have a mild flavor. They are typically used for making American mustards. Black or brown seeds, with exceedingly pungent flavor, are used in Dijon mustard.

Most commercial mustards consist of a blend of mustard seeds. Fine-textured, creamy mustards are most common. Coarse, whole-grain mustards contain whole mustard seeds.

The kind of liquid added is almost as important as the seed itself. Adding water to mustard powder creates hot mustard, such as in Chinese hot mustard. Vinegar and wine weaken the enzyme reaction, producing a milder mustard flavor.

##### The Robinson Library

The mustard plant is an annual that is closely related to cabbage. The plant originated in the Himalayan region of India, but has been cultivated in the Mediterranean region for over 5,000 years. The word "mustard" is a combination of the Latin words mustum ardens ("burning must"), which refers to the spicy heat generated by crushing mustard seeds, and is a reference to an old French practice of mixing ground mustard seeds with must, unfermented grape juice, to make a potent drink. About 700 million pounds of mustard are consumed worldwide every year, with the French being by far the greatest consumers (about 1.5 pounds per person per year); in the United States, mustard is the second-most commonly used spice, behind peppercorn (black pepper).

White mustard (Brassica hirta) is a branching annual that grows 2-3 feet high. It has yellow flowers, long-beaked bristly pods, and small round seeds. When ripe the seeds are collected, ground, and treated with water. The resulting paste forms the base of the yellow mustard brands Americans are familiar with, and is the one most commonly used to dress up hotdogs and hamburgers.

Black mustard (Brassica nigra; right) can grow to heights of 6 feet or more but has smaller pods than white mustard, and dark brown seeds. Much more potent than white mustard, the oil present in black mustard seeds can actually blister skin and sensitive membranes of the nose and mouth. Because it is so potent, black mustard is most commonly used as a flavoring rather than a condiment, although it does form the base of most brown mustards, such as Grey Poupon.

Commercial ground mustards (mustard powders) are usually made from a combination of white and black mustard seeds. They are used in the preparation of pickles, salad dressings, and other foods. Mustard pastes made from ground mustard, salt, and vinegar have been used for centuries as a remedy for chest congestion.

Mustard leaves, taken primarily from the Brassica juncea variety of mustard, can be eaten raw in salads or cooked as a vegetable. Like most dark green, leafy vegetables, mustard greens are an excellent source of vitamins K (524% of Recommended Daily Allowance), A (177%, and C (59%), folate (25.5%), and manganese (19%). Mustard greens are also known to stimulate the appetite by triggering saliva production, and are believed to provide some protection against some forms of cancer. Mustard flowers are also edible, but not commonly cultivated.

In Christianity, the mustard seed symbolizes something small and insignificant that grows into something strong and powerful. Pope John XXII was such a fan of mustard that he created the post of Official Vatican Mustard-Maker, which still exists to this day. German folklore says that a bride should sew mustard seeds into the hem of her wedding dress to assure her dominance of household, and Danish and Indian lore says spreading mustard seeds around the exterior of a home keeps evil spirits away.

Mustard is a cool weather crop that matures fairly rapidly, allowing for two crops a year in most regions. Seeds for a spring harvest can be planted up to two weeks before the last spring frost, and those for a fall harvest are typically sown about fifty days before the first late-fall frost. The plants will cover the ground within 4-5 weeks, flower buds begin emerging at about 5 weeks, and the mature crop is ready for harvest within 95 days of planting. India and Nepal are the world's leading producers of mustard, followed by China, Japan, the United States, and Canada. North Dakota is the principal producer in the United States, and the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan are the leading producers in Canada.

### Further Reading

#### Citations

1. ↑ http://www.nicaragua.com/culture/folklore/
2. ↑ http://www.tabula-rasa.info/Horror/VampireMythos.html
3. ↑ https://www.vampires.com/the-romanian-strigoii/
4. ↑ http://www.robinsonlibrary.com/agriculture/plant/field/mustard.htm
5. ↑ https://royalarmouries.org/stories/popular-culture/a-guide-to-vampires/#:~:text=For%20good%20measure%2C%20one%20way,until%20the%20sun%20comes%20up.
6. ↑ https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/17558/vampire-pantry-preventatives
7. ↑ https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1995/may/03/mustard-a-cure-all-and-a-condiment/#:~:text=According%20to%20old%20folklore%2C%20mustard,to%20enhance%20their%20bland%20diets.
8. ↑ http://www.robinsonlibrary.com/agriculture/plant/field/mustard.htm

#### External Links:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustard\_plant
2. https://www.britannica.com/plant/mustard
3. http://www.nicaragua.com/culture/folklore/
4. http://www.tabula-rasa.info/Horror/VampireMythos.html
5. https://www.vampires.com/the-romanian-strigoii/
6. https://books.google.com/books?id=WRd15VPJplYC&pg=PA129&lpg=PA129&dq=Mustard+Seed+Folklore&source=bl&ots=5xY3m\_DprY&sig=hYhUN\_\_c6b6uf4ZJJ0yfOFZmjWY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjJ9I6p-77eAhVnjlQKHScDC1IQ6AEwE3oECAAQAQ#v=onepage&q=Mustard%20Seed%20Folklore&f=false
7. http://www.robinsonlibrary.com/agriculture/plant/field/mustard.htm
8. https://royalarmouries.org/stories/popular-culture/a-guide-to-vampires/#:~:text=For%20good%20measure%2C%20one%20way,until%20the%20sun%20comes%20up.
9. https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/17558/vampire-pantry-preventatives