Pommery Royale Mustard
with Cognac

There are certain things the French take very seriously. Wine, cheese, bread, lunch and, rather wonderfully, mustard. And when it comes to the latter, the historic mustard makers of Meaux have been at it for a very long time indeed.

The story of Pommery mustard stretches back centuries, to the town of Meaux, just outside Paris, where mustard was traditionally made by the local cathedral’s canons. In 1760, their closely guarded recipe was passed to a local stonecutter by the name of J. B. Pommery, whose family would go on to establish one of the most celebrated names in French mustard.

Rather wonderfully, the traditional Moutarde de Meaux recipe survives to this day, and we’re delighted to stock that too. But this particular offering is something a little more indulgent.

Pommery Moutarde Royale with Cognac.

An exceptional wholegrain mustard made using traditional mustard seeds, vinegar, spices and a generous 6% Cognac. The result is a beautifully rich, wonderfully aromatic mustard that combines the familiar punch of traditional French mustard with the warmth and complexity of one of France’s most celebrated spirits.

It’s robust, peppery and full of character, with the Cognac bringing a lovely rounded richness and subtle notes of oak, vanilla and dried fruit. It’s the sort of thing that makes an already good meal considerably better.

And the French certainly know how to present something.

Each portion arrives in a magnificent black stoneware pot, complete with a natural cork stopper and traditional gold wax seal. It’s a method of preservation that Pommery has used for generations, and frankly, it looks absolutely fantastic. The sort of thing you could leave on the dining table and people would assume you know considerably more about cooking than you actually do.

As for eating it, well, the possibilities are endless, a generous spoonful alongside roast beef, a good steak, roast chicken or perhaps a beautiful piece of pork. Stir it through a creamy pan sauce, add it to a marinade or serve it with a proper French sausage and some potatoes. Personally, I reckon it would be magnificent with a steak frites and a glass of red wine.

If you needed further convincing, Pommery Royale was awarded Best Mustard in the World in the Spirits category at the 2021 World-Wide Mustard Competition. Which is a rather marvellous accolade for something most of us grew up squeezing out of a plastic bottle.

We’ve always had a soft spot for everyday things made exceptionally well. Beautiful clothes, good coffee, proper olive oil and now mustard with Cognac in it. None of these things are essential to a happy life, of course, but they certainly make it a little more enjoyable.

A magnificent French mustard, presented in a magnificent French pot.

All you need now is something nice for tea.