Plochman's Original Yellow Mustard, 19 oz, 2 Pack

Plochman's traces back to a Chicago mustard mill founded in 1852 and taken over in 1883 by Moritz Plochman, a German-trained chemist. The company still operates in the Chicago area, and it is known above all for one piece of packaging: the yellow barrel-shaped squeeze bottle it introduced in 1957, the first successful squeeze condiment sold in the United States.

The Original is a mild yellow mustard, tangy and vinegary rather than hot, smooth on the spoon and bright enough to cut through fat without taking charge of the plate. That is the job on a Chicago-style hot dog, a bratwurst, a burger, a soft pretzel or a ham sandwich, and it is what most cooks reach for when a recipe simply says mustard.

Off the bun, a spoonful goes into potato salad, deviled eggs, macaroni salad and coleslaw dressing, and it holds a vinaigrette together. Barbecue cooks also brush a thin coat on pork or chicken as a binder so a dry rub has something to grip. The barrel passes easily around a table.