Mustard pot

The use of mustard as a spice with medicinal properties, particularly to alleviate rheumatic complaints, as an antibacterial agent and to aid digestion, was already known in ancient Rome. Over the centuries, the recipes for its preparation changed, but mustard seeds continued to be the basic ingredient. Over time, mustard came to be regarded as a dressing to flavour food, especially meat dishes. Today, it is one of the most popular condiments and is primarily produced in Europe. Before the war, mustard, like most food products, was stored in easily accessible and hygienic glass or ceramic containers. They did not come into reaction with the food, did not absorb odours or colours and, above all, did not affect the taste of the food stored inside them. In addition to glass, the main material used was porcelite, a type of white or cream-coloured glazed ceramic manufactured in a similar way to porcelain, but from a material of inferior quality. After being burned, porcelite becomes an impermeable, durable and rigid material, ideally suited for storing food. The large porcelite mustard pot with rich floral decoration and a metal dispenser may have been intended for use in catering facilities, reflecting its size and the large inscription advertising the manufacturer. This aromatic sauce, free of substitutes and colourings, was produced by the Szczecin-based Müller & Bolle mustard and spirit vinegar factory, which was based in Łasztownia, Große Lastadie (today ul. Energetyków). Małgorzata Peszko