There are over 40 different varieties of mustard plants, but three are the most popular for culinary use; black, brown, and white mustard seeds typically go into recipes and making mustard. All three varieties are found in the U.S. as well as other parts of the world.
Mustard is the second most-used spice in the United States, as its usage is only exceeded by the peppercorn. And it’s no wonder since mustard works well with all types of meats, pork, poultry, and seafood. You may be used to standard yellow prepared mustard, but there are other wonderful varieties of seeds and prepared mustards to experiment with.
All parts of the mustard plant are edible, including the seeds, leaves, and flowers; it is in the same genus as cabbage and turnips and is an annual plant.
Brassica nigra is the plant that produces black mustard seeds. It is native to North Africa and parts of Europe and Asia; black mustard seeds are still very popular in the Middle East and Asia Minor where they originated.
The seeds are removed from their seed coats and are very small. They can be ground into a spice or used whole, often added to hot oil to bring out the flavor.
