Unique spicy-sweet northern Italian condiment at the Deli!
Have an affinity for the nose-clearing heat of good wasabi served with sushi? In that case, my guess is you’re gonna love this singular spicy-sweet Pear Mostarda! It’s handcrafted in the town of Mantova—north of Modena (home of balsamic vinegar), south of Verona, and east of Venice.
As food writer Tamar Adler explains:
Mostarda is not mustard. It is not sweet or acidic, not salty or spicy—at least, it’s none of those things alone. It is made mostly of fruit, but is neither jelly nor jam nor dessert. It is closest, maybe, to a relish … but what a relish! It’s confident stuff, best served with meats—its traditional counterpart is bollito misto, an assortment of boiled cuts—or cheeses that can take its sharpness. I ate my first bites of mostarda in the Italian town of Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella, spooned over milky Monte Veronese cheese. I’ll never forget its delicious bite. It’s a condiment that makes a meal.
Paola Calciolari began making mostarda 35 years ago, and she remains the queen of this uniquely Northern Italian condiment all these years later. Paola started out as a professional pharmacist but realized fairly quickly that what she really liked was food. So she took a leap of faith and left her high-paying corporate job to be able to make mostarda. It’s worked out: her condiments are widely recognized as best in class.
Mostarda is made from small chunks of fruit cooked in a mustard-oil-scented sugar syrup. The result is both hot and sweet. Paola makes a wide range of flavors, but the pear is my favorite—and we have a wonderful White Watermelon Mostarda as well!
What do you do with mostarda? Almost anything, really, provided that those who are eating are ready for that wasabi-like heat. It’s great with pretty much every cheese—the Zingerman’s Manchester has been especially good of late, and it marries beautifully with the mostarda—as well as with Zingerman’s Cream Cheese or Goat Cream Cheese.
In Italy, mostarda is also typically served with meat, like the bollito misto of the region. But anything will work well: beef, pork, chicken, lamb … you name it. Add a little to a grilled cheese, serve on the side with risotto, or put it on bruschetta with a peppery olive oil and fresh ricotta! Ham, mortadella, and aged mountain cheese are all good pairings, too. And fresh Bakehouse bread spread with Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter and mostarda is magical.
