Cremona, Lombardia
Cremona's preserved fruit condiment: whole or large-cut candied fruits (figs, cherries, pears, melon, apricots) suspended in a clear, sugar syrup fiercely spiked with mustard oil (allyl isothiocyanate). The heat is not from chilli but from volatile mustard compounds that register at the back of the nose rather than on the tongue. A canonical accompaniment to bollito misto, cotechino, and aged cheeses — the sugar-mustard-fruit trinity cutting through every fatty braise.
Intensely sweet from candied fruit, then a sharp nasal hit of volatile mustard oil — a uniquely bipolar condiment that defines Lombard table service
The fruits must be individually candied (not just macerated) so they retain their structural integrity and don't release juice into the syrup. Mustard oil concentration is calibrated by tasting: it should make the eyes water slightly — about 1-2ml pure mustard oil per 500ml syrup. The syrup should be crystal-clear and viscous from sugar concentration (around 65-70 Brix). Traditional preparation takes 3-4 days of successive heating and cooling.
Make in small batches at the beginning of the year when the fruit quality is highest. Store in sterilised jars in the refrigerator after opening — the mustard oil is the preservative but refrigeration prevents fermentation once opened. Serve at room temperature alongside bollito misto with two or three other condiments (salsa verde, cren/horseradish, pearà) for the full Cremonese-Veronese experience.
Under-concentrating the mustard makes it a sweet fruit salad rather than a condiment. Using prepared mustard (Dijon etc) instead of mustard oil produces the wrong flavour profile — pasty and acrid rather than clean and nasal. Over-cooking the fruits until they collapse destroys the visual and textural impact. Pairing only with meats — mostarda is superb with aged Parmigiano, lardo, and strong gorgonzola.
Il Salame di Cremona e la Mostarda — Accademia Italiana della Cucina