Cremona fruit mostarda
Whole fruits candied in a sweet and pungent mustard syrup. Sweet, tangy and biting, it is the Lombard preserve that awakens boiled meats and lasts through winter.
Whole fruits candied in a sweet and pungent mustard syrup. Sweet, tangy and biting, it is the Lombard preserve that awakens boiled meats and lasts through winter.
Here is how, in our home, we hold onto summer in a jar. We slowly candy the fruits of our orchards — pears, quinces, cherries — in a syrup into which we slip a few drops of mustard essence, which gives them that bite that surprises at first and then you can no longer do without. When winter comes, on a plate of boiled meat, this mostarda works wonders: sugar and pungency vie with each other, and all the spirit of Lombardy fits in a spoonful. Keep it cool; it will keep for months.
- •Firm fruits (pears, quinces, cherries, apricots) — equal parts (base)
- •Sugar — equal weight to fruit (syrup and preservation)
- •Mustard essence — a few drops (pungent signature)
- •Water — a little (syrup)
Cremona fruit mostarda
Whole fruits candied in a sweet and pungent mustard syrup. Sweet, tangy and biting, it is the Lombard preserve that awakens boiled meats and lasts through winter.
Why this dish? Mostarda is an emblematic preserve of Lombardy, especially Cremona, in the Po Valley where Manzoni owned land and sourced seasonal produce. Preserving summer fruits in a syrup spiked with mustard allowed them to accompany boiled meats in winter — a peasant and bourgeois skill of his region.
Here is how, in our home, we hold onto summer in a jar. We slowly candy the fruits of our orchards — pears, quinces, cherries — in a syrup into which we slip a few drops of mustard essence, which gives them that bite that surprises at first and then you can no longer do without. When winter comes, on a plate of boiled meat, this mostarda works wonders: sugar and pungency vie with each other, and all the spirit of Lombardy fits in a spoonful. Keep it cool; it will keep for months.
Ingredients (period version)
- Firm fruits (pears, quinces, cherries, apricots) — equal parts (base)
- Sugar — equal weight to fruit (syrup and preservation)
- Mustard essence — a few drops (pungent signature)
- Water — a little (syrup)
Ingredients
- Mixed firm fruits (pears, quinces, cherries, apricots) — 1 kg (base)
- Sugar — 800 g (syrup and preservation)
- Food-grade mustard essential oil — 5 to 10 drops (with caution) (pungent signature)
- Water — 200 ml (syrup)
- Lemon juice — 1 tablespoon (acidity)
Method
- Wash and cut fruits into large pieces (leave cherries whole).
- Sprinkle with sugar and let macerate overnight to release their juices.
- The next day, drain the syrup, bring to a boil, then pour back over the fruits; repeat this process for 3 consecutive days (the fruits remain firm and translucent).
- On the last day, bring to a gentle boil, add lemon juice, remove from heat.
- Off the heat and after slight cooling, carefully incorporate the mustard essence (it is very potent).
- Transfer to sterilized jars and store in a cool place.
How it was made : Mostarda di Cremona has been documented long ago in the Po Valley. The pungency originally came from mustard seed or essence (hence the name). It was a way to preserve fruits with sugar while obtaining a spicy condiment, served with bolliti (boiled meats) and cheeses — a typical Lombard pairing.
The contemporary twist : Present a few glossy fruits in a small bowl alongside an aged cheese and a drizzle of their syrup, as a sweet-spicy end to a meal.
Sources : Anna Gosetti della Salda, Le ricette regionali italiane · Tradition documentée de la mostarda di Cremona
Alessandro Manzoni · Charactorium
