Mustard has a long, long history dating back to early civilizations – around 2,300 BC.

It comes from a small annual plant of the cruciferae family. There are three important types, all of which Island Mustards use – white, black and brown. The colours refer to the ripened seed.

White mustard (brassica alba) grows throughout northern Europe and North America.

Black mustard (brassica alba) is native to southern Europe and temperate western Asia.

Brown mustard (brassica juncea) is native to India. Mustard comes from the large family of plants which include all cabbages, broccoli, radishes and watercress.

Alexander III (356 – 323 BC), also known as Alexander the Great, was one of the greatest generals in history. One of his greatest conquests was the defeat of the Persian Empire in a series of battles. In 355 BC, Alexander was sent a bag of sesame seeds by Darius II, Emperor of Persia. The quantity of the seeds symbolized the enormous number of troops under his command. Alexander responded by sending back a bag of mustard seeds, to show his fiery strength of purpose!

Hippocrates the early Greek physician and philosopher, wrote that Mustard, especially in poultices, was an important part of his treatment to cure bronchitis, pneumonia and rheumatism.

The mustard plant is a crucial ingredient in love potions used throughout history as a symbol of its fertility because of its ability to reproduce on such a prodigious scale. It is also prized for its ability to withstand even the most unfriendly conditions e.g the seed can lie dormant for 100 years and still remain viable.