I have never once purchased mustard from the store. Never. And yet, for the past five years, we haven't gone without mustard. We currently have SIX bottles of mustard in our fridge. Six. Yellow Mustard. Mild Yellow Mustard. Dijon Mustard. Two Spicy Brown Mustards. And now, Creole Mustard.
In our house, an abundance of mustard signifies that friends have moved away. When someone decides to start seminary, they are basically guaranteed to move four times. The first year they have to move to St. Louis. Then during the third year, the seminary places you elsewhere in the country for vicarage (two moves- there and back). Then after the fourth year, they move to their first Call. Four Moves.
Many times when we have friends that move out of St. Louis, one of their last stops is to our house to drop off any perishables (including their mustards) because we have been the constant couple who always stays in St. Louis. We moved here in July 2007 and haven't left since.
Our first instance of Mustard-Gifting came in 2008 when our friends Jen & Eric moved to their first Call in Wisconsin. We got lots of good Trader Joe's condiments...and at least two mustards. Then, in 2009, we received a couple more mustards and frozen treats from our friends Nick and Kirby as they left for vicarage in North Carolina.
And recently, Charlie's friend Jarvis moved to South Carolina. (Jarvis is really our friend, but our dog Charlie claimed him early on and they have been buds ever since.) So, the night before we moved, we had Jarvis over for dinner and he brought his perishable food...and the Creole Mustard.
So, now it's our turn to be the Mustard-Gifters. Casey & Kate and Debbie & Charlie- there is mustard in your future! We may have to spread the love a bit, since SIX mustard is probably gift-overload. But instead of being the ones left in St. Louis when everyone else is moving, we are packing everything (but our mustard) and moving too.
Pardon Me, Would You Have Any Grey Poupon?
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