The British Mustard Nigella Lawson Carries Everywhere

A good condiment can dramatically enhance a mediocre meal. When a sad desk lunch is under-seasoned and bland, a stash of hot sauce or a drizzle of salad dressing can do wonders for its flavor. And for British cookbook author and television host Nigella Lawson, there’s one accoutrement that reigns supreme.

On a re-published episode of Dan Pashman’s podcast The Sporkful, Lawson revealed that she loves one particular mustard brand so much that she keeps a tube of it in her purse. While chatting with Pashman, the British food writer begins to pull something out of her bag. Pashman proclaims, “She’s opening her purse. Nigella is opening her purse…. The plastic bag is coming out and I see a tube of some kind…,” to which Lawson explains that he’s looking at “a tube of Colman’s English mustard.”

If the tube carried in her bag isn’t evidence enough, Lawson later emphasizes that she loves this condiment so much, “I haven’t ever yet eaten it straight from the tube. It might come to that.” However, Colman’s mustard isn’t the same as the bright yellow stuff you squeeze on a hot dog. Instead, this ingredient offers flavor and texture that distinguish it from other mustards, all while channeling a dose of British history.

What is Colman’s English Mustard?

Colman’s was founded by its eponymous founder, Jeremiah Colman, in Norwich, England, in 1814. The mustard is cherished for its notably “hot” and intense flavor, which is attributed to two key factors: the condiment employs two types of mustard seeds, both brown and white, and during its production process, the ground mustard seeds are sieved a total of nine times to eliminate any impurities that could diminish the potency of the final flavor.

As Lawson points out, the more traditional form of this mustard in Britain isn’t the wet condiment most Americans are familiar with, but rather a powder. The cookbook author reminds Pashman that “Traditionally, it came as a powder, and you would mix it up. People would mix it up to the texture they liked.” Colman’s has long played a role in British food culture, and Queen Victoria even granted a Royal Warrant declaring it “The Queen’s Mustard” in 1866.

Over the centuries Colman’s has acquired and merged with several major food brands you may already know. In the early 20th century it acquired French’s mustard and later merged with another company to form Reckitt & Colman’s in the 1930s, before eventually demerging and being acquired by Unilever in the 1990s. Today, Colman’s is still owned by the consumer packaged goods giant Unilever.

This mustard’s label is as distinctive as its fiery flavor. Bold red letters spell out “Colman’s Mustard” on the front, accompanied by a delicate drawing of a cow. In smaller text, you’ll see the words “of Norwich,” referencing the condiment’s birthplace. Unfortunately, after being produced in the same factory in Norwich for 160 years, the original Colman’s plant closed in 2019. 

Several steps in the production process, such as milling mustard seeds, are still carried out at a new facility in Norfolk (the county where Norwich is located), while other aspects of manufacturing have largely moved to Burton-on-Trent. Colman’s website details that all of its white mustard seeds are sourced from the United Kingdom, all seeds are milled in Norfolk, and the company is “working to increase the amount of locally sourced brown mustard” it uses.

What makes Colman’s mustard special?

Mustard isn’t spicy in the same way that a hot sauce is. When it comes to chiles, capsaicin is what makes your tongue burn, but for mustard, horseradish, wasabi, and other ingredients that create a sharp spice felt more in your nasal passages, we can thank compounds called isothiocyanates for the fire. 

Consequently, Pashman compares the condiment to all of the above, saying, “it’s got a specific type of heat, almost like a horseradish-y back of the throat spice,” and Lawson confirms, saying, “It’s a bit like the British wasabi.”

American yellow mustards generally contain more vinegar than other types of mustard. They are made from yellow mustard seeds, which offer a milder spice level. As a result, their overall flavor is less intense compared to various mustard styles, such as spicy brown mustards or Colman’s.

So, if you want a strong, spicy mustard, Lawson’s purse staple might be right for you. But beyond its fiery notes, Pashman explains that he also loves, “the mouthfeel of it. It’s got a little bit of a slight texture, almost like a hoisin or a gochujang sauce that’s like a little bit… it’s got a floury kind of thickness to it.” Perhaps that rich, luxurious texture is yet another reason Nigella Lawson says she eats Colman’s “with almost everything.”