Greater Cincinnatians take their mustard — and their ballparks — very seriously.

        Suggest that the Reds need a great American mustard to go with their Great American Ball Park.

        Mention that the ball club once had a custom-made mustard — from the Frank Tea and Spice Co. — at Crosley Field.

        Note that the team is interested in serving something similar at its new home. But the old recipe may be lost.

        Put out a mustard SOS in this space (Sept.3 column).

        Wait for the phone to ring.

        One week and 163 phone calls later, I'm still hearing from local mustard lovers.

        They speak unanimously of their love affair with Crosley Field's indigenous condiment. And, how they'd love to have something like it — brown and spicy with Cincinnati roots — to spread on hot dogs, metts, brats and soft pretzels when the Reds open their new stadium in 2003.

        “The Reds and the city need something like this mustard to call their own and rally behind. Get the Montgomery Inn's Gregory family involved. They know how to market food.” — Burch Riber, Mount Washington.

        “For years, I've made a concoction of mustard, corn syrup, garlic powder and Tabasco sauce that comes as close as I can remember to the old brown mustard at Crosley Field. It's in my refrigerator in a Tupperware bowl with a tag on it marked, "Ballpark Mustard.' ” — Frank Peter, White Oak.

        “If the Reds duplicated the mustard they served at Crosley Field, instead of the slop they have in the concrete doughnut of Cinergy Field, I'd go back to baseball games — something I've not done in about 20 years.” — Dan Berger, Lebanon.

        “You saved my marriage. For years, I've told my wife about the special mustard they served at Crosley Field. She thought I was nuts. Now, she believes.” — A.W. White, West Chester.

        “Grab some local chefs and create a new Reds ballpark mustard. Jean-Robert de Cavel — before he opens his new restaurant — could whip up a gourmet version.” — Mary (last name withheld by request), Hyde Park.

        Dave Jarman offered the kitchen in his Deerfield Township home “to a group of mustard lovers of your choosing. We could experiment with duplicating the original Crosley Field mustard.”

Secret ingredientsp>         The exact recipe for Crosley Field mustard — suggested Scott Jordan of Mack — could be in Passaic, N.J.

        Scott knows Paul Fischer.

        Paul makes Mister Mustard, a former Frank Tea and Spice product, in that Garden State city.

        “I might have the original recipe for Frank's brown mustard,” Paul Fischer said Friday. “Give me a week to check my dusty files.”

Woeber to the rescue?
               The hottest lead for re-creating Crosley Field mustard came from six different readers. Each suggested contacting the Woeber Mustard Co.

        The Springfield, Ohio, firm makes 50 varieties of mustard — 25 under its name and 25 special blends for grocery store chains and food suppliers keenly aware that mustard is essential to the baseball experience.

        “It's possible we could duplicate the mustard at Crosley Field,” said Rick Schmidt, Woeber vice president. “Without an exact recipe, we need someone who remembers its taste.”

        That shouldn't be too hard. Cincinnati is a town where mustard is deeply engrained in taste buds and memories.
        Columnist Cliff Radel can be reached at 768-8379; fax 768-8340.

        Past columns at Enquirer.com/columns/radel

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