Feeling old after younger shoppers did not recognise Colman's mustard powder

[Mydogisagentleman]

Ever felt really old.
Yesterday I went to the shop after work. I'm going to Spain next week for 4 days. DH loves English mustard and it's not available locally.
Since I am not taking a bag I thought I'd get dried colmans powder.
I hunted up and down fruitlessly. I asked a young couple (probably 25ish) if they could see any.
Neither knew what it was. They were bemused at the idea it didn't come ready mixed.
A couple of the staff had the same reaction.
Luckily an older staff member came to my rescue.
I am almost certain that my 25 year old daughter knows what it is.

I have them bookmarked. Honestly the mustard foot bath is the best thing my nan ever told me about
I was soaked and freezing and it works so fast

I remember reading about mustard foot baths in books as a child but have never thought to try it.

I'm 63 and would consider this something from war-time. I think there might have been some in the cupboard as a child, but I have more memories of using seed mustard and the French stuff in Asterix glasses than anything Coleman's. You must have very trad British views on food to even think this could be a thing to take away with you. They do have mustard in other countries, you know.

Colman's Mustard Powder is fab. I put a teaspoon of it in my cheese scones along with the other ingredients.

Mustard is available in most restaurants in Spain

Prepared mustard and mustard powder are different products; I'd expect to find prepared in the condiments section and powder in the spice section. Hot mustard powder is still in demand for cooks (much more so than other mustard varieties sold as powder) but many people still may not have heard of it - just as people may not know that "coriander" can refer to a jar or tin of the dried ground spice as well as to a bunch of the leafy fresh herb.

I don't think it's strange to take Colman's mustard powder to your husband if he can't get it in Spain, especially since he's there for months. Powder's good to take/send internationally since it's easily reconstituted, much lighter to ship, and subject to lower customs restrictions (although you probably wouldn't fall to far afoul with one jar or tube of prepared mustard at the border/airport)

They do have mustard in other countries, you know. Hot English mustard is a unique flavour profile (hot and sharp, but very low acidity because it's made with water rather than vinegar). Spain has a variety of great mustards, but traditionally they lean either sweet or acidic or Dijon-style; the very opposite of hot English. Hot brown mustards like Chinese, gorchitsa (which is hard to find in the EU now due to sanctions on Russia and disrupted supplies from Ukraine) and karashi are a lot more acidic and "hot" central European mustards like Löwenseft/Mittelscharf or Musztarda Chrzanowa are still significantly mellower and less sharp than hot English and can't effectively substitute in a recipe or dish.

And while you may occasionally find other brands of "English mustard", Colmans has long been the standard internationally. Or was - it's become harder to find lately partly because of Colman's having been bought by Unilever (which also owns the US giant McCormick's) and also because of supply chain issues and Brexit-related cost rises. Many mainstream Spanish grocery chains have scaled back or entirely stopped stocking niche UK imports like English mustard and the "Not for EU" packaging requirement obstructed supplies to small independent vendors and specialty shops abroad.

It’s with the jar mustard in Waitrose

😂

Ok, I hope the tin doesn't spring open in your luggage!

When ds was working in South America 15 years ago he asked me to bring a tin of Colman’s mustard powder. (He also asked me to bring some pickled walnuts and the container leaked in my suitcase. Only a skirt and a couple of T shirts were spared. The rest of my clothes looked as if I was suffering from a serious digestive disorder).

I recognise it I remember my father loved mustard he would make itup
and he had a special china pit with a lid on that he kept it in. It’s made me want to make some cheese scones.

I put it in my roux sauce when making Macaroni Cheese (I refuse to call it Mac and Cheese).