Finding myself unable to sleep last night, my mind drifted (as it often does) to food; particularly thinking about how tomorrow (being today now...thanks axis rotation) it would be wonderful to grab a German lunch at a local German Import/Export shop known as the Edelweiss.  Now being that I am stranded at home working, I have really no opportunity to go, so the thought of the cabbage roll, bratwurst, red cabbage and spaetzle is more of a pipe dream than anything....

But it did get me thinking about simple, common ingredients and how we all can (at some point or other) get in to an "Ingredient rut", particularly when it comes to some of the more common, or oft used ingredients. Now the main reason I believe this came to me was (aside from the fact that my brain tends to make random leaps between subjects and ideas quite often) the thought of having the Edelweiss mustard:

Okay, I cannot upload the picture from this computer as it doesn't have my Jack software on it...so just imagine a green tube, with a lot of bright yellow German writing on it...filled with mustard...

I've found that when faced with a decision...picking up something simple that gets used on many things, I will generally pick up whatever it is I usually get: ketchup is tomato heniz, generic table salt etc; just because of routine, or I know what it will taste like or whatever reasoning there seems to be (Ooo..a sparkly package! I'm in!).  Now understandably, if I am making homemade hamburgers, the bun should (in my opinion) have ketchup on it (to name one of the plethora of toppings ;)) and whatnot, but does this routine of buying not limit my flavour?

Lets get back to the mustard:  used on sandwiches, burgers, sausages and perhaps in a sauce (to name a few examples): by continuing in my ingredient rut (buying whatever mustard I usually buy at the market, for the sake of imagination, lets say Frenchs)  it becomes even more clear the need to break out and sample different things, particularly when using the same basic ingredient.  Would I put a generic store brand mustard on bratwurst?  Probably not.  But would I put a stoneground german medium-hot mustard on one?  Yes (in fact, I think I know what lunch is going to be, thanks rambling blog)  It's kind of like only buying one type of jam/preserve for morning toast: sure you like Strawberry Jam, maybe it's been your favourite for years, but who knows what you might discover if you try a Champagne Marmalade or Wild Cherry Preserve.

I guess the point is (if anyone has made it this far, and if you have, thanks for sticking it out) dare yourself in to trying something different with your common ingredients: try that banana ketchup, an english (or German ;)) mustard, or that new jam: break out of your own ingredient ruts and discover the little differences that can make all the difference in the world.

I know I'm going to, and I hope you'll take up the dare too.