Where’s the mustard?

Saskatchewan grows 75 to 90 per cent of the mustard produced in Canada, and Canada is by far the biggest mustard exporter in the world, with 65 per cent of the trade. Yet, I can’t seem to find a Saskatchewan company that actually makes prepared mustard for sale on store shelves. Please email me if you know of one.

My mum was in Maine recently and brought back a jar of Raye’s Mustard for me. The top of the jar tells the story: “In 1903 when the Coast of Maine bristled with canneries, wharfs and schooners, J.W. Raye, a sea captain’s son, founded Raye’s Mustard Mill in Eastport on the Bay of Fundy. The heart of the mill is a series of rare hand-cut millstones that grind the world’s finest mustards. Raye’s family mill is the last operating stone mustard mill in the country. The flavor and aroma of yesteryear is preserved in each bottle of “real” mustard.”

I also found the ingredient list interesting. The first ingredient is “deep well water.”

I emailed Raye’s Mustard to ask where they got their mustard seeds. I got a reply almost instantly from Karen Raye, fourth generation proprietor from the company. Guess what? Her company purchases approximately half of its mustard seeds from Saskatchewan. She's got a good story behind her product — so the source of the mustard seeds isn't as important as the prepared product — but if the Raye family can do it, so can someone in Saskatchewan.