France encounters a mustard shortage

July 14, 2022 by
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While the French celebrated Bastille Day today, many of the festivities were missing a beloved ingredient. France is in the midst of a Dijon mustard shortage, depriving the country of “the condiment that gives edge to a steak frites, life to a grilled sausage, depth to a vinaigrette and richness to mayonnaise.”

Dijon-style mustard  from  The Art of Preserving (Williams-Sonoma) by Rick Field and Lisa Atwood and Rebecca Courchesne

The problem for the French is that nearly 80 percent of the brown mustard seed used to make this iconic product comes from outside of its borders, and a spate of climate events in Canada, where the bulk of the crop is grown, has cut production by 50 percent. Add to that the fallout from the ongoing war in Ukraine and throw in lingering COVID supply chain issues and the result is a severe shortage of one of France’s most-used condiments. Where stores still have mustard on the shelves they are limiting customers to one jar per person.

Here in the US there’s a shortage of a different condiment. A devastating drought in northern Mexico wiped out 90% of the pepper crop used to create Huy Fong Foods’ Sriracha, the hot sauce favored in many Asian restaurants and in households across the country. Store shelves in California are bereft of the popular condiment and restaurants have resorted to offering customers free sandwiches if they bring in a bottle of the sauce. Here in the upper Midwest where palates are less accustomed to fiery flavors, I have seen stores with ample supplies of the rooster-badged sauce, but it’s hit or miss. One store might have a dozen bottles but another store will be barren.

Category: Antipasto

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5 Comments

  • Jenny  on  July 14, 2022

    Pardon me? Do you have any dijon? We need our condiments.

  • babyfork  on  July 15, 2022

    I enjoy the classic Huy Fong Foods’ Sriracha, but for home, I buy Yellowbird Organic Sriracha (lime, date & garlic blend). Maybe this is why I was having trouble finding it in stores recently! I was able to order some online though.

  • demomcook  on  July 17, 2022

    Penzey’s has mustard seed in stock. Ran over after reading this, as I make mustards for holiday gifts.

  • fairyduff  on  July 18, 2022

    No dijon! Quelle damage! I hope France doesn’t run out of onions.

  • averythingcooks  on  July 20, 2022

    As a follow up to the impact of severe drought on Canada’s mustard crop, southern Alberta was hit yesterday by a heavy thunderstorm with torrential rain , large hail and powerful winds. In addition to terrible structural damage to homes, the impact on canola, sugar beet and corn fields was devastating…..I’ve seen heart breaking photos of broken crops and flattened fields. As one farmer put it ….it was a 20 minute storm with 12 months of consequences.

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