I posted a bit about our trip this past weekend in my IMBB #14 submission. On Sunday Aviva, Friel, Harold, Molly and I kidnapped John and took him on a surprise trip to a few Wisconsin destinations. Our first stop was The Mustard Museum in Mt. Horeb, WI. Unlike any other museum you may have been to, this is a delicious place:
(l-r) Mendocino Mustard: Seeds & Suds, a spicy beer mustard made with Red Seal Ale (Fort Bragg, CA).
Clem’s Hot Pepper Mustard, created by Hawkwind (Baraboo, WI).
Big Mike’s Performance Mustard: Its Full Throttle Taste Will REV-U-UP.
Nunda Mustard: Cajun-Onion (Nunda, NY).
Famous Cows of Wisconsin: Beulah Thompson’s Spicy Beer Mustard (Produced by the Mt. Horeb Mustard Museum).
Terrapin Ridge: Cracked Pepper, Lemon & Thyme Mustard (Freeport, IL).
Herbs de Provence & Champagne Mustard (Santa Rosa, CA).
(front) Thomy: Scharfer Senf (sharp mustard) (Deutsche Thomy GMBH, 41415 Neuss).
One enters the museum and is immediately confronted by the largest array of mustards one has ever seen in the ample ‘gift shop.’ Organized by style, the mustards can be sampled by simple bringing the mustard of interest to a back table where an employee will gladly pull a jar out of the fridge and spoon you up a taste. Also placed around the store are two other tables with opened mustard jars and pretzels. Besides selling mustards they also sell museum paraphernalia (i.e. t-shirts, ties, etc.), chutneys, jams, oils, and pretzels. (Many of these items are available for purchase through their online store.)
The museum is a large room with glass cases and hundreds of pieces of mustard history; old tins, advertisements from the 30s, a wall of mustards organized by country/state, mustard dispensers, and other notable items. Off to the side of this large room is a viewing area where one can choose between watching footage from last year’s Mt. Horeb Mustard Fest or The History of Mustard. We opted for the latter and got quite a kick of it (I don’t know when you might have occasion to watch such a thing, but if it does arise it is very, very unintentionally funny). However, about 20 min into the film we realized we had no idea how long it might be and we could well be sitting there for hours, so we left.
A lovely place, in a lovely town, with helpful and friendly staff. Truly a destination. We came out with a spectacular loot. (There is lunch counter which sells brats next door in case that entices you more).
Our Wisconsin Odyssey isn’t over yet. Check back soon for more.
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