More Than Mere Mustard

Photo by Rodney Friedrich

The splendors of the mustard season are in full bloom now, and the Napa Valley is bathed in a vivid carpet of golden yellow. But mustard season is more than mere eye candy, it now encompasses all the senses with food, wine, art and entertainment.

So where did all these luscious yellow blooms originate from? Legend has it that the mustard in California began in the mission Era in California. According to the story, each mission was just a few days walk apart from each other, and the missionaries sprinkled mustard seeds along their path so that after winter when the path was covered with the lush spring grass and covered the trails, the mustard would guide them to the next mission. Sections along Highway 1 and Highway 101 that were a part of the original mission trail are filled with the bright blooming mustard each Spring.

Today the mustard still guides travelers through the beautiful wine country. But mustard no longer is banished to shine its glory from the ground; it can now be viewed on walls, in markets, on plates in fine restaurants, and covering the walls in photography and fine art.

The mustard usually begins blooming in late February, with festivities throughout March. During this vividly beautiful time of year, Napa Valley businesses welcome visitors to the valley with art shows, cooking demonstrations, mustard tasting and mustard photo contests.

This year Napa Valley celebrates the 16^th Annual Napa Valley Mustard Festival. The grand opening event, which took place on Saturday, January 31^st at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena set the stage for this month’s events. Here, fine art (literally) came to life, with renaissance paintings by European mastered taking on a theatrical edge with a live visual exhibit. This was followed by a visual arts competition and silent auction, as patrons danced in the candle-lit barrel room, and tasted the gourmet buffet.

This next Saturday and Sunday, March 7 & 8 from 1-6pm mustard festivities continue in downtown Calistoga with Mustard, Mud & Music—A Calistoga Jazz Festival. This is a popular event for foodies and Jazz lovers alike, where you can enjoy live music as you stroll through the sops and dine at the local pubs.

The upcoming Awards dinner is the next of the signature events, which takes place on Friday, March 13 at the Black Stallion Winery on the Silverado trail in Napa. Live country rock, and some of Napa’s finest vintages will be tasted alongside creative mustard recipes. Patrons will also witness the worldwide mustard competition awards. Tickets are $100 in advance and $125 at the door.

Another popular event of the festivities takes place at The Marketplace on Saturday and Sunday at Robert Mondavi Winery, with celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, a Sunset Magazine pavilion, and the taping of Martha Stewart Living radio shows. There will also be live jazz and classical music, and art shows. Tickets for this event are $35 in advance and $40 at the door.

For more information, visit www.mustardfestival.org.

Written by Karen