The Italian Mustard Giada De Laurentiis Swears By

Italy is probably the last place most people think of when the topic of mustard is brought up. It's far more common to equate the piquant condiment with places like France, Germany, or even the United States where many adore the bright yellow, tangy topper that tastes so good on pretzels, hot dogs, sausages, and sandwiches. While olive oil and balsamic vinegar are more likely to be the winning condiments in Italy, chef Giada De Laurentiis happens to be smitten with a Tuscan mustard that she puts on just about everything, according to her Twitter post.

In fact, De Laurentiis loves it so much, she sells the mustard on her Giadzy website. The product page shares that it's made by a "world-famous Italian butcher" by the name of Dario Cecchini who runs a respected meat shop in the Chianti region of Tuscany (halfway between Florence and Siena) where he ages and processes Catalonian beef and pork. He also operates three restaurants on his property, called Antica Macelleria Cecchini, that serve everything from the region's famous bistecca alla Fiorentina to multi-course meals and burgers. To complement all the exquisite dishes he produces, Cecchini created a line of condiments, including olive oil, salt, and the mustard that De Laurentiis loves so much.

In her Twitter post, Giada De Laurentiis hails Dario Cecchini's mustard as "sweet, not too spicy, smooth, and balanced." The resulting flavor comes from a handful of ingredients used in the butcher's specialty recipe, including apple cider vinegar, mustard powder, sugar, and sea salt. 

The unique concoction comes from an old Cecchini family recipe, which was passed down by a lineage of butchers that extends more than 250 years. All of them grew up in the Panzano region of Chianti, which is known for its heritage of meat-based cuisine. The result is a unique condiment with a very diverse flavor profile: It's not pungent like a Dijon mustard or super sharp like a yellow mustard, but rather equal parts tangy, sweet, and spicy. Fortunately, you don't have to book a ticket to Tuscany to get your hands on it as the mustard is readily available online.

The simplest way to enjoy Dario Cecchini's tasty creation is to use it as is and spread on anything you might want to pair with mustard. For a true taste of Tuscany, add it to sausages and roasted or grilled beef and pork. Other options include slathering it on Reuben and Cuban sandwiches, subbing it for Dijon in a chicken cordon bleu panini, using it as a dip for fried chicken sandwiches and corn dogs, or mixing it into chicken salad or deviled eggs.

This mustard would also be a great accompaniment to cheese and charcuterie boards, with its sweet heat that would complement salty cured meats and cheeses like Brie and Gruyere. It could also make a delicious glaze for chicken and fish, or you could mix the condiment into salad dressings. Of course, there's no shortage of ways to eat hot dogs, and Cecchini's mustard would be an exciting addition to many of them, like the standard American bagel dog or the more unique tortilla-wrapped dog that's popular in Norway. With this many applications, you might want to stock up on this special Tuscan mustard to use time and again.