Mustard as a Foodie Measuring Stick

I know that this may sound a little odd, but I believe that you can measure a person's worth, at least on a foodie scale, by the mustard that you find in their kitchen.  To begin, we need to define the different sorts of mustard. 

Yellow Mustard - is best represented in the US by French's, the king of mustard if measured by sales, but the fool of mustard from the standpoint of task, and clearly the lowest mustard on the foodie scale.  In fact, it is the only mustard to rank by itself...at the bottom. 

Brown Mustard - this is certainly a step up from yellow mustard, but a case can be made that it is only a small step.  However, it must be noted that the category of Brown Mustard is actually very wide, ranging from fairly mundane mustards like Guldens (my favorite) up to very spicy  deli mustards with their roots in the New York Delis. 

Seeded Mustard - some might consider this among the brown mustards, but I feel it deserves a place of its own on this list.  Seeded mustards are usually spicier than yellow mustard and can be either spicier or not when compared to the brown mustards.  The color will be closer to a brown mustard, but the thing that defines a seeded mustard is the texture.  Most German Mustards fall into this category, as do many specialty mustards. 

Dijon Mustard - I use the moniker of Dijon Mustard rather than French Mustard for two reasons, first, because the French do actually have a mustard similar to yellow mustard, though it is spicier, and second, because it is usually sold in US under this name.  Dijon mustards are a little hotter, though certainly not hotter than brown or seeded mustards, but there is a depth of flavor that clearly sets it apart from other mustards. 

Chinese Mustard - this is where mustard reaches its spiciest heights.  Chinese Mustard may often look like Dijon Mustard, or some of the lighter brown mustard and while it may lack the depth of Dijon Mustard it makes up for then with spice. 

Now, on to the Foodie Scale of Mustard. 

Which one of these mustards you have in your kitchen says a lot about you, but it not the variety so much as the number of different mustards in your house.  Now, here are the rules. 

• Yellow mustard can only be counted once. 

 

• Brands don't matter.  Guldens and French' s Spicy Brown Mustard do not count as two, nor do two varieties of Dijon Mustard. 

• Beyond yellow, spicy brown and Dijon, brands do matter, and points may be counted for decidedly different varieties  of Spicy Brown and Dijon, but remember rule #1. 

The pinnacle of foodie glory goes to those who have at least 5 varieties of mustard in their house at the same time.  You get points for yellow mustard, but not by itself.  Remember that you may not count yellow mustard twice and different brands of Spicy Brown and Dijon are not counted.  You may have different brands of Seeded, Chinese and Brown mustards, as long as the Browns are not Spicy Browns. 

5 puts you at the pinnacle, because it shows that you like different mustards for different occasions.  You understand that a corned beef sandwich with yellow mustard is wrong.  You know that many recipes will call for specific mustards, and you are ready. 

4 varieties of mustard makes you a strong foodie.  Again, no counting yellow mustard more than once.  You understand that specific foods require specific mustards, and you know that mustard shouldn't be bland and one dimensional. 

3 mustards should be the minimum for any civilized household.  You may still have yellow mustard for hot dogs (though I prefer Guldens), but you know that there is more to mustard than just yellow. 

2 mustards may just mean that you like something other than yellow.  That's okay, it's a first step.  Maybe, like me, you like Gulden's, or maybe you consider a seeded pub mustard to be the only thing worthy of your special burger.  You understand that mustard is more than yellow, but you still have room to grow. 

1 mustard is hardly mustard at all.  I will give a tiny nod to anyone with only 1 mustard, if that mustard is not yellow.  At least you understand that yellow mustard is not the pinnacle of gastronomy. 

And lastly, if you have only yellow mustard in your house, then please leave this page and go back to your TV and watch some Monster Truck Racing. 

The Great Austin Burger Hunt - Phil's Icehouse

5620 Burnet Road 

Northland and Burnet (Next to Amy's Ice Creams!) 

524-1212  

Best burger I've had in a long time.  This might have jumped to #1 on my list and if it's not, it's close.  Bun had nice tooth to it, and the burger was cooked perfectly, very juicy, eleven napkins needed.  The fries are okay, but my wife and son said that the sweet potato fries and onion rings were excellent. 

The lettuce on my burger was very crisp and tasty with the only downside that it tried to slide off the burger with each bite. 

But, don't bother with the Phil-a-Buster.  Two 1/3rd lbs. patties is just too much, even for me. 

I will definitely be going back to Phil's Icehouse...and it is also right next to Amy's Ice Cream. 

This is a very short review, and I am almost sorry for that, because it was tremendous.  I went WOW with the first bite.  I guess I am more eloquent about what I dislike than about what I like, but I cannot recommend Phil's Icehouse highly enough 

YOU.SHOULD.GO.HERE!!!!

Chili

So, I've been making chili for a while, but I use Wick Fowlers seasoning mix.  All three of us in my family like it.  I make it a little differently, after a suggestion my wife made, and I put canned corn in it.  The recipe calls for beans and beef, but the corn gives an interesting texture and both my son and I love corn. 

When I was younger I always ate chili with Saltines.  I don't know if that was just a California thing, or just something I picked up along the way, but it's good.  Later, I got introduced to Frito Pie, and I have never been the same.  I used to go to an annual gathering and someone started a tradition of making chili one night of the weeklong event.  At first, he would buy Fritos, but after a few years, the Chili Night grew so large that he needed to try to save money...since it was done gratis, with donations accepted.  So, one year he bought Tortilla Chips, because they were cheaper in bulk.  I made do with Tortilla Chips that year, and the next year I brought my own Fritos.  Recently, we got a deal on Mexican Cornbread mix and we tried that with Chili, and that is excellent as well.  Of course, I love cornbread so much that I think I could enjoy it with almost anything. 

I have been living in Texas for more than three decades, and Texans feel like they own Chili.  While driving through Cincinnati I noticed billboards for restaurants touting their Chili, and showing it served over Spaghetti.  Now, to a Texan that would similar to heresy...well, both Cincinnati Chili and Chili over Spaghetti would seem like heresy to most Texans.  After seeing it on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, I want to try it, but I have my doubts.  Of course, I don't want to make my own and try over Spaghetti, I want to try Cincinnati Chili. 

Today, I spent some time looking at Chili recipes.  I think I am going to give Wick Fowlers a miss and try making my own chili from scratch.  Of course, it will be Chili my way, so I will Hold the Onions and use Onion Powder in it, but I am sure that I will like it even better without fresh onions.

Comfort Food

What is comfort food? 

Mac and Cheese?  A good hamburger?  Spaghetti with meat sauce? 

How much of comfort food is cultural, and how much is personal.  On TV, you often hear chefs and presenters talk about comfort food as if it was cultural.  They talk about comfort food as if we all thought that a pot roast with potatoes and gravy was comfort food, but is that really true? 

One part of comfort food seems to be the memories that it evokes.  The roast may be a comfort food because so many of us, at least in my generation (end of the baby boom) had a big roast with potatoes and gravy almost every Sunday.  We saw that on TV and it became a shared cultural icon.  Like a good turkey dinner on Thanksgiving. 

But, I think that many of you are like me, you have comfort foods that aren't part of the larger cultural definition.  It might be something your mother made when you were sick, or the breakfast she made you every morning.  It could be that food that you celebrated big occasions with...now, I don't suppose that beer can really be a comfort food, but that is what many Americans celebrate with. 

Personally, I have some rather strange comfort foods, but they all have one thing in common.  They remind me of a certain time in my life, and were a special treat that I bought for myself.  Fritos and bean dip is one of my comfort foods.  When I get depressed, it is one of a small group of food that I turn to, because once upon a time it made me feel better.  Pizza is another comfort food, at least for me.  It was the food that my friends and I often went out for, sometimes for celebration, sometimes as a reward for moving a friend, and sometimes just because, and when I eat pizza it reminds me of all those good times. 

And, I think those good times are a key ingredient of comfort food.  Sometimes it is the thing we eat when we are flush, and others the thing we eat when we are broke, but in each case, that food becomes connected with a good memory, a comforting memory, and the memory is just as important as the food.