Home › Pantry & gourmet › Maille
Maille: the buyer's guide
Maille has made mustard since 1747, held a royal warrant from Louis XV, and still runs a shop in Dijon where mustard is drawn from pumps like beer. The yellow-lidded jar is the reference Dijon in most French kitchens and most American ones that take mustard seriously.
Links on this page go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What the brand is known for
Dijon mustard in the traditional style: brown mustard seed, verjuice or white wine, salt and water, with a sharp heat that comes from the seed rather than from chilli. Maille is now owned by Unilever and made in Dijon and Chevigny; the recipe has stayed sharp where many supermarket Dijons have been sweetened and softened.
Dijon Originale
The classic. Smooth, pale, sharp and creamy, it is the mustard for vinaigrette (one teaspoon per three tablespoons of oil), for pan sauces, for steak and for a ham sandwich. The heat fades with age and once the jar is open, so buy the standard 7.5 oz jar unless you cook with it constantly; the giant jars go flat before they are finished.
Old Style whole grain
Moutarde à l'Ancienne: whole and cracked seeds in a white-wine base, milder and more textured than Dijon. It is the mustard for charcuterie boards, sausages, potato salad and glazes. The two together cover almost every use.
Flavoured mustards and cornichons
Maille's Dijon with white wine (Dijon au Vin Blanc) is slightly softer than the Originale and good with fish; the honey and the horseradish versions are fine but easy to make yourself. The cornichons, tiny tart gherkins in vinegar with onions and tarragon, are the essential partner to pâté and rillettes and are hard to find anywhere else at this quality.
Buying and storing
The jars are glass with a metal lid; the squeeze bottles are the same mustard in plastic and lose heat faster. Refrigerate after opening. Check the ships-from line on Amazon: Maille sold from Europe is the same product and takes longer; Maille sold by Amazon US is made for the US market and is identical in taste.
What to buy
| Product | Why |
|---|---|
| Dijon Originale 7.5 oz | The reference Dijon; the standard jar. |
| Old Style Whole Grain Mustard | Textured, milder; for boards and sausages. |
| Dijon with White Wine | Softer Dijon, good with fish and chicken. |
| Cornichons | Tiny tart gherkins with onions and tarragon. |
| Dijon Originale 3-pack | Stock up at a better per-jar price. |
| Maille Dijon Squeeze Bottle | Convenient; loses heat faster than the jar. |
Questions people ask
Maille or Grey Poupon?
Grey Poupon was a Dijon house that is now an American brand made by Kraft Heinz in a sweeter, milder style. Maille is still made in Dijon and is noticeably sharper. For cooking, Maille.
Why has my Dijon lost its heat?
Mustard's heat comes from a volatile compound that fades with time, heat and air. Keep it refrigerated, keep the lid tight, and buy jar sizes you finish within a couple of months.
Is Dijon mustard protected like Champagne?
No. Dijon is a style, not a protected origin, which is why most Dijon mustard is made with Canadian seed. Maille's Originale is still made in Burgundy.
More pantry & gourmet guides: Bonne Maman · Fleur de sel · all brands