Wasabi is also known as Japanese horseradish. That’s right, it’s a member of the Brassicaceae family, which also includes horseradish and mustard. It’s a root with a ‘spiciness’ more akin to hot mustard than chili peppers. This is a heat clears your sinuses rather than burning your tongue. Beaver Wasabi Mustard

It’s no surprise then to find that one of the top American wasabi producers got their start with good old-fashioned horseradish. For almost eighty years and three generations, Beaverton Foods has been pioneering the development of new condiment flavors. Today, they are the largest producer of horseradish and specialty mustards in the U.S. You might not have heard of them. Beaverton Foods you’re saying to yourself, nope. Well, they’re there. Beaverton packages their wide array of condiments under a number of different names: Beaver, Inglehoffer, Old Spice, Napa Valley, and Tulelake are all active product lines with sizes ranging from two ounces to 55-gallons. In addition to their own brands, they also develop, produce and co-pack a number of products for use by other companies throughout the world.

And the world agrees. Most recently, Beaverton Foods took a number of medals at the 2009 World-Wide Mustard Competition in Napa Valley, California, including a Gold Medal for their Beaver Wasabi Mustard.

Inglehoffer Wasabi HoreradishI’ve been using the Beaver Wasabi Mustard as well as Inglehoffer Wasabi Horseradish and they are simply the best thing available for any stuffy nose, no matter how stuffed. Forget nasal spray and just squirt some wasabi horseradish onto your next turkey sandwich. Be careful though, this is something you have to learn to use (said the man who put waaay to much on some roast beef. I think this stuff could give breathe-right strips a run for their money.

If you like horseradish in all its glory.. from mustards to wasabis, Beaverton prides themselves on quality, working directly with growers to secure premium mustard seeds, fresh horseradish roots and premium wasabi.

-bryan

You can find the entire selection of mustard, wasabi and horseradish here.