This brief article makes that very point. The texture and flavor burst from mustard seeds can turn the bland into the sublime. Read more at thekitchn.com by clicking here.

They suggest simmering yellow and brown mustard seeds in a mixture of vinegar, sugar and salt for almost an hour. While some posting comments weren’t sure where to get mustard seeds, we thought, “DUH! Get them at the Mustard Museum!” : )

Here’s some links to the mustard seeds and some other prepared mustards from Ireland, perfect to top off that corned beef & cabbage for St. Pat’s!

Whole Brown Mustard Seed

Whole Yellow Mustard Seed

Lakeshore Wholegrain Mustard With Whisky

Lakeshore Mustard With Guinness Stout

The Lakeshore Duet

One of our most popular mustard varieties has always been the sweet-hot mustards. As you dip, dollop or dunk your pretzels, etc., into a jar of your favorite honey or sweet-hot, there are a lot of other ways to enjoy these mustards you should consider.

Some of these suggestions may surprise you but real mustard lovers are fearless. Although this style of mustard is ideal for pretzel dipping, sweet-hot and honey mustards go with many other foods. The possibilities for these mustards are boundless, but we really like the following ideas. Try them all.

What’s your most outrageous sweet-hot mustard mate? We’ll share it with Mustard Nation if you email your favorite to the Curator.

• Slather on your morning donuts
• Add some crushed red pepper and dunk your egg rolls
• Spread on a stinky cheese sandwich (fabulous with limburger on rye with raw onion)
• Drizzle it on baked squash
• Drench your chicken nuggets
• Use instead of jelly for a peanut butter and mustard sandwich (“PB&M”)
• Top off a toasted English muffin or bagel
• Schmear on a turkey or ham sandwich
• Mix with marmalade for a dynamite glaze for chicken or pork
• Pour some on cheese cake

Final details are being worked out, but plan for this once-in-a-lifetime trip on October 3 through October 15, 2012.

The exclusive Mustard Tour, in conjunction with Outta-Here! Travel, includes just about everything you could want:

• round trip air,
• private tour motorcoach,
• luggage handling,
• 12 nights hotel,
• sightseeing,
• private mustard experiences,
• shopping time,
• meals,
• and more!

Space is very limited so contact Mrs. Mustard or call Outta-Here! Travel at 866-593-1313 for information. The Tour is $4,799 per person. There’s more info to come, but we know stops will be made in Norwich (home of Colman’s), London, Dijon, Beaune (home of Fallot Moutarde), and Paris! Viva la moutarde!

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

Use the form below to sign up for updates about the 2012 Grand European Mustard Tour.

Errrr, make that Texas Hold ’Em — right here at the Museum!

Support the nonprofit National Mustard Museum by playing in our Elm Farm Ollie Day Texas Hold ’Em Tournament on Saturday, February 18, from 6:00 pm until . . . well, until the cows come home (about 11 pm).

Click here to let all of your Facebook friends know you’re planning to attend!

Even if you’re not a poker player, you can enjoy tasty appetizers and snacks and other fun diversions, including a full-contact Mustard Ring Toss Tournament (“Hoops for Koops”) and various board games.

Just $10 gets you in the door, and another $15 will save you a seat at the poker table. It’s a good cause on a glorious day…

… and thank you to our event sponsors: Klements Sausage, University Coin, and Liliana’s Restaurant! (see below for more sponsors and supporters)

To guarantee your seat at the poker table EMAIL THE CURATOR or sign up on our Facebook event by clicking “Join” — or just call, 608-831-2222. Everyone who plays wins a prize.

The tournament winner will get his or her picture immortalized forever. Their portrait will be framed in a POUPON U toilet seat and displayed in a place of honor at the Museum. And a they’ll receive a POUPON U Toilet Seat to take with.

Disclaimer: this is not a gambling event. No portion of the entrance fees or donations will be paid out to players. All prizes are donated items and gift cards from area businesses.

Thanks to these Sponsors and Supporters:

Bucky Book
E Z Office Supply
Full Compass Systems
Klement’s Sausage
Liliana’s of Fitchburg
Madison Computer Works
MustardMuseum.com LLC
Quaker Steak & Lube (Middleton)
Sofra Bistro
University Coin & Jewelry
L&L Foods
Shannon Matthews Salon
Bald Eagle Foods
The Brady Family
Top Promotions
G J Ring

For more information, including rules, categories, and an entry form, click here.

But you can influence the Poll with your mustard in the Poupon Plebiscite by buying a jar of these tasty politically charged mustards. What’s this all about? There’s a controversial Governor here in Wisconsin and an effort is underway for a potential gubernatorial recall. With heated debate and often emotional opinions on the issue, there’s a lot at stake. And if you cast your vote with these mustards, there could be a lot on your steak as well.

Show your support for Governor Walker, or show your support to recall Governor Walker. In any case, show it with MUSTARD!

The folks at The People’s Pharmacy were talking about mustard being a cure for leg cramps on their syndicated radio program and someone wrote to their blog to relay their story after hearing about the cure on the radio.

They were experiencing a painful cramp in their calf after dancing in heels at a wedding, when they decided to try the remedy they had heard about… swallowing a teaspoon of yellow mustard. Sure enough, it worked. And fast. Click here to read more about the amazing healing power of mustard, and some interesting comments as well.

Oh, and mustards are also delicious to eat, as well… ; )

Sooner is better than later but anything you order this week should have no difficulty reaching friends and family by December 24. Next week gets more complicated but shipments going to addresses in the Midwest ordered by next Tuesday should arrive by UPS Ground without any problems. Even gifts going to the east coast or west coast, if they go out next Monday, should arrive by the 24th.

Do we guaranty timely deliveries? Does UPS guaranty you’ll love your mustard? They should but they don’t. We guaranty we will get into the hands of UPS in time for them to deliver it when they say they will. You can check out estimated delivery times on the UPS website. Our zip code is 53562.

We can always ship Second Day or Next Day Air but it’s expensive. Don’t give your hard-earned money to UPS for rush shipments — give it to us for mustard.

Even if it gets there after Christmas, your friends will be thrilled. As we say here in Mustardland: “Better late than ketchup.”

The best idea yet for beating the rush — order a membership in the Mustard-of-the-Month Club to start with the January mustards. We can email or call the lucky recipient with your greetings and an announcement of good mustards to come. Available in 3 plans: full-year (12 monthly shipments of three mustards each) (MOM2010); every other month (MOM2010B); or quarterly (MOM2010Q).

For retailers, it’s always dicey in December, knowing how to extend appropriate greetings without offending anyone. We don’t want to be accused of waging war on anyone’s holiday so why not let the customer choose his or her own preferred salutation. As you enter the Mustard Museum Gift Shop, you pick up a form with eight possible December greetings. Circle the one you would like to hear and hand it to the clerk when you check out. Here’s what we use (we encourage other businesses to modify these as needed):

(1) Merry Merry Merry Christmas!

(2) Happy Kwaanza!

(3) Happy Hanukkah to you of the Hebrew persuasion.

(4) A lukewarm and not too exciting generic Seasons Greetings to you and yours.

(5) Have a charming little nontheistic solstice celebration, you miserable heathen!

(6) On behalf of George Costanza, have a great Festivus.

(7) May we suggest a stronger deodorant on your next visit?

(8) You think the Curator and Mrs Mustard can live off what you just spent?

And, for those cruising for Condiment Bargains:

Beaver Chinese Mustard 3-Pack $8.00 (BVR102B). Three jars of the Gold Medal Beaver Hot Chinese Mustard for just $8? That’s ridiculous.

Stonewall Kitchen Apricot Mustard Glaze reg. $7.75, SALE $6.75 (STK140). Fruit, tangy, and totally delicious.

Arran Original Mustard reg. $7.75, SALE $5.75 (ARN101). From the Isle of Arran, off the coast of Scotland, this whole seed mustard is full of texture and bite.

Hot Dog & Mustard Tie reg. $18.00, SALE $12.00 (TYE700). Revive the age-old tradition of giving dear old Dad a tie for the Holidays with this Foot Long Hot Dog with Mustard Tie by Ralph Marlin.

Poupon U Toilet Seat reg. $28.00, SALE $18.00 (PPN900). Say no more. But only a few left. Oh, and it’ll fit most standard toilets.