From time to time, we are asked to offer our advice to help with life’s little issues. When they’re mustard related, we feel more than qualified:
Dear Mrs. Mustard:
How long can I keep mustard in the refrigerator? I found a jar in my mother’s icebox from 1973. Is it any good? — Gretchen Masnaslics (Kalamazoo, MI)
Dear Gretchen: Your job, my dear, is to eat mustard, not archive it. We have a museum here in Wisconsin for the latter task. For maximum flavor, we recommend consuming mustard within 6 months of opening the jar (and do refrigerate it). If it is any older than that, smell it first; if it doesn’t knock you over you can taste it. If it still tastes good, go for it. If not, it’s not like a major investment to buy some fresh mustard. As for your Mom’s relic, don’t you think it’s a little odd that a woman would be hoarding a jar of mustard that long?…
