lust for mustard

In European history, mustard has long been considered a potent aphrodisiac. Throughout much of recorded time, monks were not permitted to ingest mustard for it was believed to lead the men of God down the path to temptation.

It is mustard’s pungency that earns the seed its aphrodisiac classification. Its intense, spicy flavor is credited with causing a rise in adrenalin. According to the research of Australia's Dr. Max Lake, mustard causes “maximal stimulation of the pain fraction of taste.” It is this balance of pain and pleasure that brings eaters to gastronomic climax.