nearly forgotten nearly forgotten culinary art with the helpof the Charroux museum, which had theoriginal recipe.Today, second-generation mustard-makerOlivier Maenner, his wife Annabelle andcolleague Franck continue to preserve therich tradition of French mustard-makingusing traditional production techniques. Theirlimited production, around 20 tonnes per year,ensures artisanal excellence.Deliciously grainy Charroux mustard © Jeremy FlintCharroux mustard is renowned as amongthe finest in the world, an enduring symbol ofFrench culinary excellence, with numerousgastronomic awards.This flagshipproduct of Frenchgastronomy ismade with Frenchand Canadiangrownseeds ofthe Brassica nigra(black mustard) andBrassica juncea(brown mustard)grain varieties.They’re crushed© Jeremy Flinton a century-oldgrindstone, thenblended with liquids including vinegar, water,and local wines from nearby Saint-Pourçainsur-Sioule,which are made from some of theoldest grape varieties in France. Salt, verjuice(juice from unripe grapes) and spices areadded, depending on the type of mustardbeing made. Olivier emphasises it’s the winethat gives the real flavour to the mix, not theseeds.“It's really quite a simple process that goesback to basics,” Olivier tells me. Hugelypassionate about the process, he mixes themustard at a top-secret site where evenAnnabel and Frank are not allowed to go.“The exact ingredients are top secret, too,”he jokes.After mixing the ingredients, the paste is leftfor 48 hours in a cool environment to developthe flavour before being bottled.Crushing the seeds with a century-old grindstone © Jeremy Flint© Jeremy FlintOver the years, Charroux Mustard has addedmore products such as La Pourpre - a subtlysweet mustard with St Pourçain red wineand grape juice, as well as apple-mustardpreserves, chutneys, Estivale (mustard withtomatoes and capers), Ravigote (an anchovybasedmustard) and a variety of flavouredmustards including truffle, nut, and honey. Notfabulously easy.Insurance services for English speakers in FranceMedical InsuranceHome InsuranceCar InsuranceVisa Insuranceand moreWe work with more than 30 insurers and many moreproviders so we are always able to find the best andmost affordable solution for your situation.We’ve got you covered.33 (0)5 35 65 50 50hello@fabfrenchinsurance.comwww.fabfrenchinsurance.comsurprisingly, Charroux mustards feature onmenus in the area with innovative chefs usingit in all sorts - from macarons and meringuesto ice cream!Olivier admits that there will always be achallenge from mass-producers of the spicycondiment. But Charroux Mustard’s devotionto artisan manufacturing techniques has madeit a standout product, highly prized by chefsand food lovers alike, which means it’s sure tobe relished for a long time to come!Find out more at moutarde-charroux.comOn Amazon & all good book shops68 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 69
