Mostarda of quinces and pears with must and mustard
Quarters of quinces and pears candied in cooked grape must (*sapa*), spiked with a fiery touch of mustard. Sweet-sour and pungent to the nose, it keeps for a long time and enlivens roasted meats and cheeses alike.
Quarters of quinces and pears candied in cooked grape must (*sapa*), spiked with a fiery touch of mustard. Sweet-sour and pungent to the nose, it keeps for a long time and enlivens roasted meats and cheeses alike.
Here is a preserve from my country of Mantua, called *mostarda*. One thickens the must of the grape harvest to a syrup, candies quinces and pears in it, then mixes in the mustard that stings the nose and brings a tear to the eye. It keeps all winter in a sealed pot; I carried it in my chests on the roads of Spain and Rome, for it enlivens cold meat when the inn offers nothing good. Taste it: sweet and fiery contend marvelously.
- •Quinces and firm pears — enough to fill a pot (fruits)
- •Cooked grape must (sapa/mosto cotto) — enough to cover (preserving syrup)
- •Mustard seeds — a good pinch, crushed (heat)
- •Honey or sugar — depending on the sourness of the must (additional sweetness)
Mostarda of quinces and pears with must and mustard
Quarters of quinces and pears candied in cooked grape must (*sapa*), spiked with a fiery touch of mustard. Sweet-sour and pungent to the nose, it keeps for a long time and enlivens roasted meats and cheeses alike.
Why this dish? Castiglione was born in Casatico, in the Mantuan region — the very land of *mostarda*. This fruit preserve in cooked must and mustard kept for months and accompanied meats; it was also packed in chests during the long diplomatic journeys of a man constantly on the road between Mantua, Rome, and Spain.
Here is a preserve from my country of Mantua, called *mostarda*. One thickens the must of the grape harvest to a syrup, candies quinces and pears in it, then mixes in the mustard that stings the nose and brings a tear to the eye. It keeps all winter in a sealed pot; I carried it in my chests on the roads of Spain and Rome, for it enlivens cold meat when the inn offers nothing good. Taste it: sweet and fiery contend marvelously.
Ingredients (period version)
- Quinces and firm pears — enough to fill a pot (fruits)
- Cooked grape must (sapa/mosto cotto) — enough to cover (preserving syrup)
- Mustard seeds — a good pinch, crushed (heat)
- Honey or sugar — depending on the sourness of the must (additional sweetness)
Ingredients
- Quinces — 400 g (peeled, in wedges) (fruit)
- Firm pears — 400 g (peeled, in wedges) (fruit)
- Cooked grape must (vincotto/sapa), or grape juice reduced by half — 300 ml (syrup)
- Sugar — 150 g (sweetness and preservation)
- Brown mustard seeds — 1 tbsp (crushed) (heat)
- Water — 100 ml (syrup)
Method
- Bring the cooked must (or reduced grape juice), sugar, and water to a simmer until a light syrup forms.
- Add the quince wedges, cook for 15 minutes (quinces are hard), then add the pears and continue for 10-15 minutes: the fruits should remain firm but translucent.
- Crush the mustard seeds and mix with 2 tablespoons of the hot syrup; let the heat develop for 10 minutes.
- Stir the mustard into the syrup off the heat (do not boil again, to preserve the pungency).
- Pour into sterilized jars, cover with syrup, seal, and store in a cool place: the *mostarda* improves after a few days.
- Serve in small quantities with roasted or cold meats and aged cheeses.
How it was made : *Mostarda* takes its name from *mosto* (grape must) in which the fruits were candied, the pungency of mustard being added later. It is a typical preserve of the Po plain — Mantua, Cremona — well attested in the Renaissance, which allowed autumn fruits to be kept and winter tables to be brightened.
The contemporary twist : A spoonful on a platter of aged cheeses, or paired with *bollito*: Castiglione's Mantuan *mostarda* still holds its place on tables today.
Sources : Tradition of Mantuan and Cremonese mostarda (Po plain, Renaissance) · Bartolomeo Scappi, *Opera* (1570), fruit preserves in must
Baldassare Castiglione · Charactorium