The small mustard factory of Abraham’s Groninger mustard still makes mustard the old-fashioned way… with a delicious result.
by Ena Scheerstra
Mustard can been found all over the world and is used since ancient times. It is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant (yellow or black). The seeds are ground or cracked and mixed with water, salt, lemon juice/vinegar and spices, to make a paste ranging from bright yellow to dark brown, grainy or smooth. Probably the best known mustards are English and Dijon, but the Netherlands has its own variety of mustards, often spicy and grainy. Mustard is commonly paired with meats and cheeses and is used in many dishes, for example dressings, sauces and marinades. In the Netherlands, mustard is most often used as a for dip “kroketten” and “bitterballen” (meat ragout croquettes and balls), or on bread with cheese.
In the past, many local grocers in the Netherlands made their own products, often growing into small factories with their own recipes, names and area of distribution. Nowadays, with all the industrialisation, most local factories are gone, or bought up by big companies. But not Abraham’s mustard factory! It lies in the small village of Eenrum in the middle of the beautiful countryside of Groningen, and still functions the old-fashioned way. It is also a small museum, in which the mustard maker shows how their mustard is made, and a restaurant. If you find yourself in the neighbourhood (it’s only 30 minutes driving from Groningen city), make sure you pay them a visit, it’s worth it!
Abraham’s mustard has the guaranteed Groningen quality mark and is made with mustard seeds locally grown. Groninger mustard only uses black mustard seeds and is ground quite coarse, which gives it the typical spicy flavour and full body. And of course I made a local dish with this local mustard: Groninger mustard soup, following the recipe of Abraham’s mustard factory. It is a very easy recipe that can be made with pantry ingredients and will make a surprisingly mellow but very mustardy soup. And if you like it more spicy, you can always add more mustard! But make sure you use nice mustard, a bad tasting mustard will taste even worse as a soup. This soup is perfect as lunch or as an appetizer.
Abraham’s mosterdmakerij en restaurant
Molenstraat 5
9967 SL
Eenrum
The Netherlands
Groninger mustard soup
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This soup is a perfect way to enjoy good mustard and has a surprisingly mellow mustard flavour.
Ingredients
- 50 gram (2 oz) butter
- 50 gram (2 oz) flour
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) cream
- 1 litre (4 cups) vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 tbsp Groninger mustard
- salt and pepper
- some parsley or chives
Instructions
- Melt the butter.
- Add the flour, stir until a roux forms
- Cook on low heat for a few minutes. Some colour is fine, but it should not get too dark.
- Meanwhile, heat the stock.
- Add the stock bit by bit, stirring continuously, until all the stock is added and no lumps are present. Or, if you feel lucky, add all the stock at once and use a whisk to get rid of lumps.
- Add mustard to taste, with Abrahams Groninger mustard 2 heaped tablespoons gives a good flavour. Use a whisk to mix it in.
- Add the cream and parsley or chives. Don’t let the soup boil any more!
- Taste for seasoning.
- Serve hot as it is, or with an accompaniment.
Notes
Nice accompaniments are: bacon bits, prawns, (smoked) salmon, slices of Groninger sausage (another local product, substitute with any dry sausage), slivers of old cheese (gouda, but something like parmesan would work as well), and/or thinly sliced leaks.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
My husband was in the Netherlands years ago and has ALWAYS talked about the mustard…where do i buy it in the US?
I don’t live in the US and have never been there, so I am not completely sure. I think French mustard is available in supermarkets over there, which is quite similar to the Dutch mustards.
If you want the real thing, you’ll probably have to order it online. Google on “Dutch products online” or “Dutch food online” and you will find many shops selling Dutch food products (also several varieties and brands of mustard) and delivering in the US.
I hope this helps!
Hello snd greetings from the UK
We went to the Motogp last weekend followed by visitng some Dutch friends in Groningen where we enjoyed the famous Mustard Soup
We have your recipe but are you able to supply and send a jar of Abrahams Mustard for soup please?
We are happy to pay for postage and carriage so that we have the “real Mustard”
Hoping you can oblige
kind regards
Peter & Pauline Dennis
UK
Actually, you can order abraham’s Groninger mustard on their website (http://www.abrahamsmosterdmakerij.nl/winkel.html) by sending an email to the email address mentioned there!
hello Ena
I have sent 2 emails to Abraham Mustard Maker Groningen regarding the chance to purchase the famous MUSTARD so we can make Mustard Soup
……….. however no response
Are you able to advise us of a retailer where we can buy some jars?
or the name of a stockist in the UK ?
Hoping you can help
Kind regards
peter Dennis
UK
How unfortunate that they did not respond! In that case, I fear it is difficult to get hold of Abrahams mustard in the UK. However, Marne is a larger brand of Groninger mustard that is also very good (they taste very similar), and is available at almost all the webshops that sell Dutch products abroad. Just google “Marne Groninger Mustard” and you will find them and see which suits you best. They claim that they are also available in other countries, so you can look for it in the mustard isle of a large supermarket, but I’m not sure if they mean the UK by ‘available in other countries’. I hope this helps!
where can I buy this Gronigen mustard please in
England ? violins@talktalk.net
Can we buy the mustard on line to make the soup recipe. darryl529@roadrunner.com