Plum Mustard (Mostarda)

Mostarda is one of those hard to define delicacies – the name implies a mustard, yet it’s actually more similar to jam, and used more like it as well. The similarity with mustard is in the heat it packs because it is actually made with mustard. Think of it as a sweet, rich jelly or preserved that is mixed with spicy mustard for a hot-and-sweet combination that’s the perfect partner for cheeses and charcuterie. In Italy, mostarda is also served with roasted and boiled meats and poultry, where it really complements and enhances the meats.

Casa Forcello’s Plum Mostard combines the juicy flavor of the sweetest Italian plums, aromatic and rich, with big pieces of plums to bite into. The recipe is a recipe passed down to the founder of Casa Forcello from her grandmother in Mantova, in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. It’s a true labor of love, making authentic mustard is a laborious, time consuming process, as the fruit must cook in its own juices until sweet, and then brightened with hot mustard extract. This fresh and chunky mustarda is perfect to pair with Asiago or smoked duck charcuterie.