# Honey Mustard



## bee_wrangler (Jan 21, 2007)

I have been tinkering with a honey mustard recipie. Equal parts unheated honey and plain yellow mustard. It tastes great to me and friends and family. I am thinking of adding it to my farmers market selection. Anyone see problems with this recipie. Refrigerate or not?? 


thanks for your response

Dan


----------



## carbide (Nov 21, 2004)

I would think that if a container of "plain yellow mustard" states that it should be refrigerated after opening then you should have the same advice on your honey mustard. The first question is, since you already opened the mustard in order to combine it with your honey, does it need to be refigerated immediately after you mix it? The other question is, if you do refrigerate it, will the honey crystallize?

I'm sorry but I don't have the answer to either of these questions.


----------



## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

If you open the container, it must be put in the cooloer which is no real big deal. Make it and cool it. To take it to the market, take a small ice chest with you. Easy. 

For recipe, I might go a little further. Worchestershire sauce is great to put in there. I might use another type of mustard. Dijon works nicely. Even a small amount of vanilla really changes the taste and bring out flavor note. If you add a little black pepper, it will bring out the fruityness of the honey.


----------



## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

i would add that going into move of a food line of products has the possability of really opening yourself up to the health department, etc and other liabilities.


----------



## bee_wrangler (Jan 21, 2007)

*thanks*

thanks for your input, I might give out recpies for honey mustard for people to try themselves. 

Dan


----------



## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

Bee: I would just go for it. Make it and try selling it.


----------



## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

My wife worked diligently at recipies for honey mustard to add to our line. Hers were made from scratch but we could never keep the honey from eventually seperating from the mustard. 

It's really the 1st value added product we threw in the towel on.

Let us know what you come with and how the storage phase goes.


----------



## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

Joel:

Two approaches you can take... 1st is using the blender or whisk attachment in a mix to really mix the **** out of it. Need to emulisify. You can also add a little lecathin too which will help out.


----------



## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

joel: check your pms


----------



## Bizzybee (Jan 29, 2006)

Most states have very strict rules concerning food prep, more exhaustive than a honey house in most cases. Ignoring it may land you in a VERY BIG heap of trouble.

It's worth the little time it'll take you to check into it.


----------



## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Yeah, rules and regs, especially with food, are stringent, but often their enforcement is lax and inconsistent. I run the concession stand for the kids swim team and we violate every rule in the book, and yet when the swim team wants to set up a food stand for the 4th of July picnic (a community-wide event) we have a different set of requirements.

For years I was supposed to be extracting out of a "health certified, food approved kitchen" to "process" my honey. (The state has since relaxed those standards). 
About eight years ago I got curious and asked, so the county health dept mailed me a form lining out the requirements to bring my kitchen into compliance, but then they said their inspection force was so overwhelmed with commercial kitchens and resturants that they didn't have time to come and inspect my honey house. I was supposed to have a three-compartment sink, separate lavatory facilities for male and females, separate entrance...

We renovated the church kitchen. Initially, we wanted to bring it "up to code," but the code for a "public" kitchen was impossibly expensive. So we did what we wanted, never got inspected, and we're now operating and feeding "congregational dinners." One nervous elder suggested we call the local health department and they said as long as the public was not invited, we were fine. No problems.

I guess the congregation doesn't qualify as public.


The only real problem I had was when I wanted to sell honey in Illinois. I was told by the respective market manager that I needed a health certificate. I said in Missouri I didn't need to be inspected. She said it didn't matter, I still needed to be inspected. So I called the MO State Ag dept and they said they don't have inspectors and I didn't need to be inspected. The IL market manager said if I didn't have the certificate, I couldn't sell honey at the farmer's market in Illinois.

That's all the further that deal went.

I prefer to fly under the radar. Until they find me, I'm going to do what I want. I am insured for product liability, but my real trust is in my own level of sanitation. I know I put out a good, clean product that's safe enough for me.

Grant
Jackson, MO


----------



## taipantoo (Nov 9, 2007)

For your recipe, have you tried adding mustard powder to the honey?


----------



## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

I am with Grant.... fly under the radar.


----------



## Hill's Hivery (Jan 7, 2005)

I have tried mixing yellow mustard with honey and had good results. (I liked it anyway!) It was great on my homemade "egg McMuffin". I just adjusted it to my liking. (Heavy on the honey!) I do shake it a little before using it, but don't you have to do that with yellow mustard anyway? If I don't I ALWAYS get that nasty clear stuff on my burger. YUCK!

As far as Illinois' Farmers Market. Who are you asking for the regs? We have a local farmers market tied to the "Farmers Market" association. The gentleman selling honey at that market doesn't have any type of certificate. In fact, I don't think he is even registered with the state, which is required. Oh well, sometimes ignorance is bliss!

I too will continue as is until I am told otherwise!


----------



## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

I was invited by another Missouri vendor to come to the Carbondale farmer's market on Saturday mornings. I was given the name and phone number of the market manager to insure I had a spot, was willing to pay the fees, etc.

That's when things started getting ugly. Now bear in mind there was also another beekeeper from Missouri who also sold honey at this market, along with a woman from Illinois who sold honey. I never got to ask if they had health certificates.

I was clearly told that I was not welcome because I didn't have a health certificate, and it wasn't their problem if Missouri didn't offer said certificate. If I decided to show up, I would be asked to leave. If I didn't leave, they would call the authorities.

I just let it go. 

Grant
Jackson, MO


----------



## Bizzybee (Jan 29, 2006)

I have to wonder if you folks will have the same "happy go lucky" feeling when you are found and levied some hefty fines along with your notice that your business will be shut down. And even worse should you be a supplier to someone else and their businesses are also shutdown and fined. As in, "not stop what you're doing" but along the more permanent lines of "shut down". 

Maybe you should consider looking at the penalties for breaking the regulations instead of only considering the regs themselves? Playing games with public health issues aren't typically dealt with lightly. Get someone sick or even be accused and you'll not find a court in the land to back you up if you are operating outside the rules.


----------



## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

Well Bizzy... consider this. If someone was to get a food handlers card, record everything on HACCP and foloowr food prep guidlines, I think it would be a start in the right direction.... no?


----------

