Colonel Mustard in the Kitchen! Chocolate Merlot Mustard Brownies

The first Saturday in August is National Mustard Day. Not only is there a national holiday, but there's also a National Mustard Museum. It's the home of the world's largest collection of Mustards and Mustard Memorabilia.

According to the website, in 1992, Barry Levenson left his job as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Wisconsin to open this museum. There are more than 5,300 mustards from all 50 states and more than 60 countries. For the collector in me, there's the Gibbons Collection of mustard pots, antique tins & jars and vintage advertisements. Located on Hubbard Avenue in the heart of downtown Middleton, Wisconsin, the National Mustard Museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm, seven days a week — except New Years, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The online store never sleeps. Middleton neighbors Madison to the west, is only a 45-minute drive from Wisconsin Dells, just 2-1/2 hours from Chicago, and a mere 6,978 kilometers from Dijon, France.

But this is a Chocolate Blog, so why Mustard? Well,  you might not think of putting Chocolate and Mustard together, but actually it's a wonderful combination. Add Merlot, and you're speaking my language. What a wonderful blend of flavors.

The Napa Mustard Company has a wonderful Noyo Reserve Merlot 'n Chocolate Mustard.
It's great on pretzels and with sandwiches or just spread it on a piece of crunchy sourdough. It's sweet, salty and tangy!

Hop Kiln, one of my favorite wineries in Sonoma County, makes their own Merlot & Chocolate Mustard. It has a lovely smooth taste. Use as above.

And adapted from a recipe from the National Mustard Museum,  here's a recipe for Chocolate Mustard Brownies Created by Marliss Levin for  National Mustard Day celebration several years ago at The Mustard Museum. Mustard actually intensifies the taste of chocolate?


CHOCOLATE MERLOT MUSTARD BROWNIES

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp  Chocolate Merlot Mustard
1 tsp fresh ground espresso
1/2 lb sweet butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate or very dark chocolate (85% or higher), broken
2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs
2 Tbsp Madegascar Vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips or cup of chunks of dark chocolate
Sifted powdered sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix ground espresso in mustard and set aside.
Melt butter and chocolate together in top of double boiler or a pot on top of another with simmering water. Cool slightly.
Add brown sugar to chocolate mixture. Blend well.
Add flour and mix well.
Add eggs and mix until blended.
Stir in vanilla; add mustard/coffee mixture. Mix until well blended.
Fold in chocolate chips or chunks.

Spread in greased 13" x 9" pan. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and cut into squares.