Speaking from experience, (I like to think I have my Mustard’s Degree when it comes to this particular food item! 😉) mustard is a pretty polarizing condiment. I've met people who hate it, people who think it has its place, and people who put it on whatever they please. I, myself, love mustard and am unreasonably excited to write this blog. I encourage you to try different kinds because I know for sure that if you don't like yellow mustard, that doesn't mean you won't like any other types. There’s definitely no dearth in the mustard section of the grocery stores. Have you gone down that aisle lately? It can be a bit overwhelming to face so many choices. But, each mustard has a unique flavor that differentiates it enough for it to be, well, its own type of mustard.
Whether you’re using it to top a Coney Island-style hot dog or add tang to your go-to Deviled Egg recipe, you need some type of good mustard or mustard-based sauce in your cooking arsenal. And if you’re a mustard lover like me, we don’t settle for runny, grainy, or downright blah condiments.
We’re so passionate about mustard at Bellisari’s, we created our Saigon Street Sauce. This non-traditional sauce, inspired by Vietnamese food, is an exceptional balance of heat and sweet roasted garlic flavor. It is a mustard-based pepper sauce that harmonizes well with burgers, sandwiches, and as a gourmet finishing sauce. Smother a pork loin with this full-bodied, flavorful sauce and bake for an easy weeknight meal.
It’s so delicious that our Saigon Street Sauce won the Silver Medal in the Sweet and Mild category in the 2022 World-Wide Mustard Competition. It is a blind tasting, so the judges have only unlabeled mustards in front of them. They do not know if they are sampling the mustard of a large international company or that of a small artisan moutardier. They bring together chefs, food writers, other food professionals, and mustard aficionados to carefully evaluate the mustards. As you can imagine, it is a daunting task but one that the judges take very seriously.
Every jar of our flavor-bursting, award-winning sauce is crafted with wholesome ingredients, free of any preservatives or fillers, and is all natural and gluten-free. And when it comes to beverage pairing, anything with our Saigon Street Sauce goes well with a mug of a dry stout beer.
It makes for a delightful dipping sauce for pretzels, potato wedges, or fries, but I think I use this for meat as much as anything else. (And don’t just think brats, hot dogs, sausages, etc. I’m talking about pork or beef roast, chicken or fish.) I’ve also found myself using it in marinades, salad dressings, and rubs. And, I’ve used a decorative little dish of the stuff on a charcuterie board. It is so good with apples and cheese.
What I’m getting at here is that this scrumptious stuff is a no-brainer addition to anything in need of a little extra oomph. In fact, as the weather has been cooling down, I find the warmth of the mustard in this Asian-inspired sauce is even helping me fend off the seasonal blues. After all, how can you be down when you know you're going home and having something delicious for dinner?
Finally, if you need even further convincing to try our sauce, mustard may protect against bacteria, fungi, and cancerous cells, as well as reduce inflammation and blood sugar levels to increase protection from infections and disease.
We’re celebrating our Saigon Street Sauce all month long. Try some soon, and Happy October from all of us at Bellisari’s!
