Bring the flavor of fall to your mustard: gingerbread-spiced mustard.

You can buy it or make it.

French brands such as Pommery make it, and you can find it on Amazon.

Its French name is Moutarde au Pain d’Epices: moutarde (moo-TARD) is mustard and pain d’epices (pan day PEACE) is gingerbread.

Gingerbread is one of the specialties of the Burgundy region of France. The flavored mustard is delicious served with poultry, ham, roast pork or sausages.

You can spread it on a sandwich, serve it with an omelet, turn it into a dip, add it to a stuffing mix for roast chicken or make a vinaigrette for for salad and crudités.

You can also make it into mustard sauce (recipe below).

And you can give a jar as a seasonal gift.

To make your own:
 
 
RECIPE #1: GINGERBREAD MUSTARD (PAIN D’EPICES)

Prep time is 5 minutes. Note that you may like a different proportion of spices, or a subtler spicing. Our personal adjustment was to halve the cinnamon and double the nutmeg.

Make a test batch using half the ingredients.
 
Ingredients For 1 Cup

 
Preparation

1. ADD the spices to the mustard and blend thoroughly. Allow to stand for an hour or more for the flavors to meld.

2. TASTE and adjust the seasonings as desired.
 
 
RECIPE #2: MUSTARD SAUCE

It’s so easy to use the mustard to deglaze a pan. Or make this equally easy creamy mustard sauce.

In addition to serving as a sauce with meats and vegetables, you can use it a dip, flavor a marinade, even spread it on a sandwich.

Ingredients For 1 Cup

[1] Start with Dijon mustard or grainy mustard (photo courtesy Maille).

[2] You can buy gingerbread-flavored mustard, here in the old-fashioned grainy form from Pommery.

[3] It’s easy to make a creamy mustard sauce (photo courtesy Recipe Community).

1. COMBINE the cream, mustard and pepper in a small saucepan.

2. STIR constantly as you simmer the mixture over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt.
 

[2] Granny Smith apples (photo courtesy Good Eggs).

Looking for Halloween fun? This cider recipe, from The Pampered Chef, will take you there.

Carved apples become shrunken skulls as they cook in the cider.

You can serve the cider straight, or augmented with spiced rum or spiced/cinnamon whiskey.
 
 
RECIPE: APPLE CIDER WITH APPLE SKULLS

Ingredients For 14 Servings

 
 
Food Trivia

Granny Smith apples originated in New South Wales, Australia in 1868.

There was an actual Granny Smith, Maria Ann Smith, who propagated the cultivar from a chance seedling.

1. PREHEAT the oven to 250°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2. PLACE the cinnamon sticks in as large spice ball or cheesecloth. Peel the rind of the orange and place as much of the rind as possible into the spice ball, then close. Optionally, you can first juice the orange and add the juice to the cider before serving.

3. PEEL the apples and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and core. Then carve the rounded side of each apple half to create faces, using the tip of the corer and a paring knife. Juice the lemons into a small bowl. Dip the apples in the juice and transfer to paper towels to drain. Reserve the remaining juice.

4. PLACE the apples face-side up on the sheet pan. Press the cloves into the “eye sockets” or use them as noses, as desired. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the apples are dry and begin to brown around the edges. Meanwhile…

5. PLACE the spice ball in the bottom of a large dutch oven. Add the apple cider and maple syrup. Heat the mixture, covered, on low while the apples are baking. Do not let the mixture come to a boil; turn off the heat before it reaches boil.

6. SERVE: Remove the spice ball and stir in the reserved juice and optional rum or whiskey. Add the “skulls” to the pot of cider. Top each serving with one skull and serve with a spoon for eating the apple.
  

If you’ve never made marshmallows, here’s your chance to delight family and friends as you warm them up with a cup of hot cocoa.

In addition to cocoa, you can use them to garnish fruit salad, ice cream, cakes, pies and other desserts.

You can make them in traditional squares, or use cookie cutters to make any shape you like.

The recipe is from Karo Syrup.
 
 
RECIPE: HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS

These marshmallows can be made in traditional squares, or cut with a cookie cutter into shapes.

Prep time is 45 minutes, cooling time is 4+ hours.
 
Ingredients For 3 Dozen Large Marshmallows

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE 1/2 cup water, the salt and gelatin in the large bowl of a stand mixer. Stir and set aside.

2. COMBINE the remaining 1/2 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Using a candy thermometer, cook until mixture reaches 240°F, the soft ball stage.

3. SLOWLY POUR the hot syrup over the gelatin mixture with the mixer on low. Turn the mixer to its highest speed and beat for 8 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes. The mixing bowl will get very full. The marshmallows will become very thick, white and shiny. Spread mixture onto greased baking sheet with sides.

4. LET the sheet of marshmallow cool at least 4 hours or overnight. Combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch in a shallow pan. Cut the marshmallows into bite-size squares with a sharp knife or scissors, dropping one at a time into the powdered sugar. Toss to coat well.

[2] Use Karo Light Corn Syrup, which also can be used in many other recipes.

 
Variations