Dijon Mustard Crisis: Here's Why France's Most Prized Condiment Has Left Chefs and Ordinary Shoppers Scrambling
The lack of Dijon mustard on shelves across the country has not only affected the everyday customers but also chefs in France. Dijon mustard is one of the most important ingredients in many sauces and dressings.
Mumbai, July 15: In what can be seen as a national crisis in France, the country's most sought-after product, the Dijon mustard seems to have disappeared from the shelves. While there has been a shortage of surgical masks and paracetamol in the fight against COVID-19 and Sunflower oil from Ukraine for restaurants and households, food lovers in France are facing a unique problem as the country is running out of mustard.
According to reports, the Dijon mustard which is France's iconic traditional staple has disappeared from supermarket shelves across the country. Experts believe that the reason for the same is the fact that the producers are facing a shortage of "Brassica junceaa" - the specific brown seed that is required in order to make the mustard recipe complete. OpenSea Lays Off 20% of Its Employees, CEO Devin Finzer Calls It ‘Sad and Difficult Decision’.
Speaking to The New York Times, Luc Vandermaesen, director of the mustard manufacturer Reine de Dijon and the president of the Burgundy Mustard Association said, "The main issue is climate change and the result is this shortage." If reports are to be believed, at least 80 percent of the brown seeds come from Canada, however, a recent heatwave has led to the harvest being slashed by 50 percent.
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"We can’t respond to the orders we get, and retail prices are up as much as 25 percent reflecting the soaring cost of seeds," Vandermaesen added. While Horseradish, wasabi, and Worcestershire sauce are seen as potential contenders as a replacement for the Dijon mustard but not many are in its favour.
Talking to the Financial Times, French musician Didier Marouani said, "I eat lots of mustard, but there's no mustard in Paris. I’ve been to 25 shops, and we’ve found nothing - well, there is some mustard, but it’s not the good stuff." As per several reports, there are no signs of the Dijon mustard, which is a prized possession for the French.
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Amid the mustard crisis in France, the wholesale prices for the seeds were double or triple while the retail prices have risen nearly 10 percent in the last year. Vandermaesen said that if the shortage of mustard continues, it would deprive the people of France of a vital cooking ingredient.
The lack of Dijon mustard on shelves across the country has not only affected the everyday customers but also chefs in France. Dijon mustard is one of the most important ingredients in many sauces and dressings. Bertrand Chauveau, chef at the Garance gastronomic restaurant said, "It's fundamental to French cuisine." Chinese Banks Hold Emergency Meeting with Banks on Mortgage Crisis.
While Vandermaesen is hopeful that an agricultural research programme will result in higher yields in the future, he says "but we are going to have some difficult months."
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 15, 2022 04:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).