Maille Mustard Mobile - A Truly Savory Experience
Mustard. Moutarde. Mostarda. No matter how you say it, it is one of my absolute favorite condiments. I have to admit though, I am quite loyal when it comes to brands and my preferred choice, not only for its taste but also its mustard flavors, is Maille. To me, it's a little culinary gem. I always use Maille mustard for my homemade vinaigrettes and when I consume brats and boudin blanc sausages.
Not familiar with Maille. Don't worry. Here's a little background history on this more than 265 year-old iconic brand. In 1747, Antoine Maille created La Maison Maille, which included products such as mustard, vinegar, and caught the attention of none other than King Louis XV of France. From that point on, La Maison Maille became the official supplier to Kings of France and many European Royal Courts. Today, it is the number one brand of imported mustard in the U.S. and the leading producer of mustard, vinegar and cornichons (small pickled gherkins with an extra tart bite) in France.
In an effort to conquer American palates, Maille decided to launch a national tour with its chic Maille Mustard Mobile. So, when I received an invite from Fraiche PR and Communications to the kick-off preview event of the Maille Mustard Mobile at Union Market in Washington D.C., I was elated.
When I first saw the Maille Mustard Mobile up close, it immediately reminded me of my memorable visit to the Maille store in Paris last year located at Place de Madeleine. This was where I discovered my number one favorite Maille mustard - Moutarde à la truffe (yes, truffle mustard). This stylish sampling bar, with its brand's signature colors - black and gold - had shelves filled with different Maille brand mustards. A mustard lover's dream. But the best part was the 'mustard on tap', just like in the store in Paris. *drool*
As I walked around the mustard mobile, I met up with fellow foodie bloggers and that's where our culinary tasting experience began.
First, we had the chance to taste Maille's newest mustard Honey Dijon with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. I am not a huge fan of balsamic vinegar, because to me it is too sweet, but this one was delicious. It was a perfect combination of sweet and savory. It was finger-licking good. Literally. ;-) We tried this mustard with pretzel sticks, which was yummy, but it would also be very good in sauces or salad dressings.
Second, we were treated to an array of gourmet bites that were made with different Maille mustards from Union Market Artisans.
Each sample was delicious, but for me the front runners were the salmon and potato salad (I had two servings of each because they were that tasty, oui, je suis gourmande.)
Lastly, we had the opportunity to compose our own mustard palette directly from the Maille Mustard Mobile. There were five mustards on tap that you could choose from - Dijon Originale, Old Style, Honey Dijon, Horseradish and Rich Country - I decided to try all of them, because pourquoi pas ;-). I loved that each plate was adorned with a few of Maille's cornichons. The winners for me were the Rich Country (an original variation on the classic Dijon mustard that includes white wine, cinnamon and ginger) and Old Style (characterized by the presence of crunchy mustard grains and robust medium-spicy flavor).
Below are the scheduled stops for the Maille Mustard Mobile. If you happen to live in or be in one of those cities during those dates, I highly recommend that you go and check it out. You won't be disappointed. Promise.
Washington, DC / Virginia / Maryland June 14, 15, 18 - 20 - Union Market, Georgetown, Annapolis, McLean and Baltimore Philadelphia June 21, 22, 25 - Center City, Ardmore and King of Prussia New Jersey June 26 - 28 - Paramus, Short Hills, Montclair and Asbury Park Boston July 3 - Harvard Square Cape Cod July 5-6 -Orleans and Dennis ConnecticutJuly 9-10 - Stamford and Westport New York CityJune 29 - July 2, July 11 - 13 - Various locations in Manhattan West CoastSeptember dates to be announced - Cities to include Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles Chicago (end of the tour) October dates and locations to be announced
