Review: Grey Poupon mustards

Personally, I’m not a huge fan of mustard, but here’s the thing: my wife is. So when we had a chance to try out a couple of Grey Poupon mustards, I knew it was a chance she would love.

Now, usually when I think mustard, I think of that nondescript yellow stuff, usually made by French’s, that I grew up never really caring for; of course, ever since Grey Poupon made their splash on the mustard scene, mustard is no longer limited to yellow and smooth as the primary descriptors. In fact, there is a huge variety of mustard available these days and Grey Poupon has led the way in the mustard revolution.

One of the first Grey Poupons we tried was the Harvest Coarse-Ground mustard they make. While featuring a yellow-tan main color, this mustard is speckled with a variety of brown shades that indicate the presence of whole, unground mustard seeds in the recipe. With a strong nose and a bold, vinegar-heavy taste, Harvest Coarse-Ground mustard is good for people who may like mustard seed when used in various recipes, but don’t care for the yellow glop found at most fast-food restaurants. In fact, it’s a mustard I could almost see using from time to time myself, and I’m not a huge fan of mustard.

My wife feels the best uses of it would include hamburgers, hot dogs, the base of a marinade, sandwiches and as a glaze in food preparation, as long is care is taken in what it is combined with and how it is applied.

The Hearty Spicy Brown variety of Grey Poupon’s, despite the name, is actually a milder mustard than the Harvest Coarse-Ground. However, it derives its distinct taste from the presence of horseradish, onions and apple cider vinegar, as well as some dried onions and garlic added in for extra zest.

The horseradish fortuantely doesn’t overpower the palate, and this mustard has a milder nose than the Harvest Course-Ground. My wife, who normally dislikes horseradish, enjoys the Hearty Spicy Brown. This mustard has a paler, white-tan color with smaller brown highlights. My wife feels the Hearty Spicy Brown would go best when used on white-meat sandwiches like turkey or chicken, as the base for a marinade, or as a cooking glaze for chicken. Whereas the Hearty Spicy Brown is a good compliment for most white meats, the Harvest Course-Ground seems better-matched to darker, bolder-tasting red meats.

Both mustards are excellent examples of how far removed gourmet mustard is from the yellow glop most of us remember from childhood or a trip to the local fast-food burger joint. Even those who don’t like that yellow stuff should take some time to try out modern gourmet mustards like Grey Poupon Harvest Course-Ground and Grey Poupon Hearty Spicy Brown, as well as the rest of the Grey Poupon lineup; what you taste may come as a pleasant surprise.