Cremona Mustard

Name: Cremona Mustard
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 3
Ingredients: Sugar 1.7 cups; Mustard essence 10 drops; Apples 0.8 cup; Pears 0.67 cup; Pineapple 0.6 cup; Cherries 0.7 cup; Apricots 0.6 cup; Peach ½ cup; Figs 0.3 cup; Mandarin oranges ½ cup; Oranges 1.8 oz

it de fr es br

677

Calories per serving

Gluten Free
Lactose Free
Vegetarian
Vegan

Energy Kcal 677
Carbohydrates g 163.9
of which sugars g 163
Protein g 2.3
Fats g 1.4
of which saturated fat g 0.11
Fiber g 4.7
Sodium mg 6

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serving: 3

PRESENTATION

Sweet and spicy flavors join together when mostarda di Cremona lands on the table, bringing the lively touch of Northern Italian tradition to family meals and holiday gatherings. With Italian condiment classics, you always get that signature combination of candied fruit mustard and tangy mustard essence, and here—thanks to the chunky pieces of pear, peach, or apricot—you get a rich, playful texture that keeps every bite interesting. Families love seeing those glossy jewels of fruit sitting in their favorite small serving bowl, ready to brighten up meat and cheese boards or lend zing to roast dinner platters. Great colors and a shiny look make this mostarda di Cremona stand out among typical Italian condiments, and there’s something fun about how each bite offers a little sweet, a little kick...a surprise for anyone who likes memorable flavors. This Northern Italian recipe shows off the traditions that get everyone talking at Christmas or any special meal. Nobody really confuses it with plain old preserves—this stuff is truly a celebration of vibrant, bold flavor.

Busy families usually appreciate any Italian condiment that brings excitement without extra fuss, and mostarda di Cremona absolutely delivers. Its versatile personality makes it just as popular on a weekday—pretty natural alongside leftover meats or jazzed up with a simple cheese snack. Kids often enjoy choosing their favorite fruity piece right from the jar (try it with grilled sausages for a fun twist on game night!). For parents, the sweet and spicy candied fruit mustard seems to never disappoint since it matches easily with so many family favorites, from basic roast chicken to fancier holiday ham or pork. Long shelf life means you can pull this out any time a quick upgrade is needed—add a spoonful to elevate the usual, toss on a cheese plate, or just keep a little on hand for sudden company. Home bakers like seeing how good it looks at a buffet, knowing it will tempt guests all evening with that nice pop of color and flavor. If your family enjoys simple Italian food, bold flavors, and old-fashioned traditions, mostarda di Cremona might be just the thing to liven up the season and make simple meals feel like a special treat.

INGREDIENTS: Sugar 1.7 cups (400 g); Mustard - essence 10 drops; Apples 0.8 cup (100 g); Pears 0.67 cup (100 g); Pineapple 0.6 cup (100 g); Cherries 0.7 cup (100 g); Apricots 0.6 cup (100 g); Peach ½ cup (100 g); Figs 0.3 cup (50 g); Mandarin oranges ½ cup (100 g); Oranges 1.8 oz (50 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Cremona Mustard

First, remove the pits from the fruit, where present, and cut the too large fruit into coarse pieces.
Place the prepared fruit to macerate in sugar for 24 hours.
At this point, put the fruit in a saucepan with a little water, bring everything to a boil, and let it boil for 5 minutes.
Let everything rest for 24 hours and repeat the previous operation two more times, being careful never to cover the pot during and after cooking because the steam droplets would ruin the preparation.
Once cooking is finished, add the mustard to the mixture and jar in airtight containers.
Pasteurize the jars according to the ministerial guidelines at the end of the recipe and store in a dark place until consumption.

Trivia

It seems to be a tradition in Lombardy, but especially in the city of Cremona, to serve Cremona mustard between courses during the Christmas Eve dinner.

Advice

Have you already started your search for the perfect accompaniment? I have: I love mustard with boiled meats, chicken, and turkey; Francesco, on the other hand, prefers it with grilled foods, cotechino, salami, and sausages. As for cheeses, I think crescenza and stracchino are perfect, but also sweet provolone, emmental, asiago, and of course, spressa trentina. Francesco instead votes for sweet gorgonzola, tomino piemontese, quartirolo from Valsassina, roquefort (one of his favorites), and chèvre cheese. What are your favorite pairings?

IMPORTANT

The homemade preparation of preserves and jams can present health risks. In a domestic environment, it is not possible to create the conditions and measures necessary to ensure the safety and suitability of food, which, on the other hand, industrial procedures can ensure to prevent dangerous contamination. It is therefore important to scrupulously follow food safety guidelines to reduce risks, but it must always be kept in mind that you will never achieve the same food safety as professionally produced preserves and jams. For the correct preparation of homemade preserves, we refer to the Ministry of Health guidelines.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.