27th Annual World Wide Mustard Competition, 2020

Call for Judges

27th Annual World-Wide Mustard Competition
Entries are arriving daily at the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin for the 2020

World-Wide Mustard Competition (history and details a http://mustardmuseum.com/world-wide-mustard-
competition/). Several sessions and many panels of judges are needed to find the best mustards in the world, and you are invited to participate as a mustard judge this year.

There are 17 categories of mustard to be tasted and scored. You will help determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal winners for each flavor or style category. Examples of the categories are Honey, Dijon, Spirit, Hot Pepper, and Exotic mustards, as well as mustard-based BBQ Sauces.

The judging panels will include food professionals such as chefs, food writers, cookbook authors, restaurant critics and food scientists, as well as "foodies" and some regular folks with discerning palates. As a judge for the world’s only mustard competition, you’ll be expected to sample as many as 50 mustards during each
round of judging! This is a blind tasting and the only rule is that you must finish scoring any category that you start, and, of course, you must love mustard. While this is a serious undertaking, we know you’ll enjoy the experience

Judging will occur at the National Mustard Museum, sponsor of the competition, under the direction of Museum Curator Barry Levenson:

Round 1 Sunday, March 8, 2020 Noon - 4:00
Round 2 Sunday, March 22, 2020 Noon - 4:00

On both days, we will break mid-way through the afternoon for snacks & schmoozing. Please let me know ASAP if you can participate on either or both Sundays. Also, please pass this along to your mustard-loving friends and colleagues. All available judges, please contact me via email at [email protected] , or by phone on my cell at 608-444-5280.

Categories

1. SWEET MUSTARDS - Hot
These popular mustards have classic mustard heat countered by sweetness in the form of honey, sugar, brown sugar, molasses, or other sweetening agents. The heat should come primarily from the mustard and NOT from other sources (e.g. horseradish or peppers). Mustards in this category should present a pleasing balance of sweetness and heat. See also the Honey Mustard category (#2).

2. SWEET MUSTARDS – MILD
Not all mustards have to be hot. Mustards in this category are rich and flavorful without a lot of heat. A little spiciness is acceptable but these are neither tongue burners nor sinus busters. German Bavarian mustards would be entered in this category.

3. HONEY MUSTARD
Honey can provide both sweetness and its own distinctive flavor to mustards. Mustards entered in this category MUST contain honey, although there is no minimum percentage of honey required. Other ingredients, such as herbs, fruit, peppers, and horseradish, may be present but the honey character of the mustard is the critical factor in judging these mustards. Mustards containing honey may also be entered in other categories, including the Sweet-Hot and Sweet-Mild category.

4. CLASSIC DIJON (SMOOTH)
The classic Dijon-style mustard should be smooth in texture (enter coarse-grained Dijon mustards in Category 4, below), made entirely from the brown or black mustard seed, and contain no additional flavors (such as honey, herbs, fruits) except as the maker deems necessary to achieve the essential Dijon character.
The mustard should be pungent on the nose with a full clean finish. Because these mustards are often used in cooking, a certain degree of saltiness is acceptable. Note: Enter “Honey Dijon” mustards in Category 2.

5. WHOLE GRAIN/COARSE GRAINED
Coarse-grained mustards should contain either cracked or whole mustard seeds. Texture is the key.
Additional flavors and ingredients (e.g., honey, herbs, peppers, horseradish, etc.) may be present. Mustards may be mild or strong.

6. CLASSIC HOT
The heat or strength of this mustard comes only from the mustard seed (or mustard flour) and not from any other source, such as peppers or horseradish. Examples of this style would be the classic Chinese or English mustard.

7. PEPPER HOT – MILD TO MEDIUM
The flavor and heat of any of the various peppers – from jalapeno to habanero and beyond – is the predominant profile of this category. The product must be a mustard and not just a pepper sauce in mustard clothing. Sweet-hot mustards in which some or all of the heat is from peppers belong in this category. Hotter is not necessarily better; the flavor of the pepper and its appropriate heat must be satisfying. Because there are so many pepper mustards, we have two separate categories – MILD TO MEDIUM and VERY HOT.

8. PEPPER HOT – VERY HOT
The above-described category for the “hotties.” We will taste them all before arranging them for the judges so we will make sure that they are appropriately classified.

9. HORSERADISH/WASABI
Closely related to mustard are the horseradish root and wasabi, both containing the naturally occurring substance that brings tears to the eyes and stimulates the nose. They accentuate the mustard but give their distinctive flavor to the mustard as well.

10. HERB/VEGETABLE
These mustards, either smooth or coarse, are defined by the herbs or vegetables, which flavor them.
Examples of herbs and vegetables that fit within this category are dill, tarragon, basil, herb blends, black and green peppercorns, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and olives. Garlic, being such a strong and dominant flavor, has its own category (Category 9).

11. GARLIC
Garlic, the “stinking rose,” is the star in this category of mustards. Smooth or grainy, these mustards feature the pungent unmistakable taste and aroma of garlic.

12. FRUIT
Any fruit may give flavor to this mustard. Examples: raspberry, cranberry, cherry, currant, orange, lemon, lime, pineapple, passion fruit, apricot, grape, pomegranate, guava. Additional ingredients, such as horseradish, honey, or peppers, may be present so long as some fruit or combination of fruits provides the defining character and taste of the mustard.

13. SPIRIT
Any fermented or distilled beverage, such as beer, wine, fortified wine, liqueur or cocktail, is what gives this category its defining character and taste.

14. AMERICAN YELLOW
The classic American yellow mustard is smooth and gets its bright yellow color from a natural coloring agent, typically turmeric. The typical flavor is not too hot, with more spice on the tongue than in the nose.

15. DELI/BROWN
This mustard is usually tightly-grained or coarse and is the crowning touch to a corned beef sandwich.
Horseradish, garlic, or other ingredients may be present but the mustard should be what any typical delicatessen would use for its traditional deli sandwiches. Judges will taste these mustards with deli meat.

16. EXOTIC
Anything goes in this wide-open category, proving that mustard is indeed an artist’s canvas on which all things may be drawn. Creativity and imagination are what drives this category. Dare to be different!

17. MUSTARD BASED BBQ SAUCES, GLAZES, OR MARINADES
These cooking sauces enhance the taste of meats, poultry, fish and vegetables. Judges should be able to detect the flavor of mustard in the product.