Introduction
Mrs Clement’s innovative process for making hot mustard powder sparked welcome fresh business for farmers and potters in northeast England, and is the secret behind the famous Colman’s of Norwich - and their “bull’s head” logo.
IN 1390, Richard II’s chef included a recipe for mustard in his book The Forme of Cury.* Monks on Lindisfarne in Northumberland were grinding their own mustard a century later, and Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire was an early centre of the trade.
But in 1720, an entrepreneur from Durham named Mrs Clements developed a much hotter mustard, using techniques borrowed from flour mills. It so pleased the palate of King George I that it created a London fashion.
Durham farms now made a handsome income growing mustard as a crop, and pottery firms in nearby Gateshead were soon busy supplying jars.
Despite Mrs Clement’s attempts to keep her recipe secret, competitors sprang up immediately all over the country.
Her company, now named Ainsley’s after her son-in-law, was acquired by Colman’s of Norwich, and when Colman’s commissioned a new trademark in 1855, they acknowledged Mrs Clements by choosing the head of the famous Durham ox.
That is, ‘The Method of Cooking’, from French ‘cuire’, to cook.
Précis
Mrs Clements was a businesswoman from Durham who developed a strong mustard in the 1720s that won royal patronage and became fashionable, bringing prosperity to the North East but also competition. Her firm was later acquired by Colman’s of Norwich, and such was the association between Durham and good mustard that they branded their product with the Durham ox. (59 / 60 words)
Mrs Clements was a businesswoman from Durham who developed a strong mustard in the 1720s that won royal patronage and became fashionable, bringing prosperity to the North East but also competition. Her firm was later acquired by Colman’s of Norwich, and such was the association between Durham and good mustard that they branded their product with the Durham ox.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, if, must, not, ought, since, until, whether.
Archive
Word Games
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Mill. Pottery. Spring.
2 Develop. Hot. Keep.
3 Company. Early. Supply.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Firm. 2. Own. 3. Spring. 4. Keep. 5. Jar. 6. Country. 7. Book. 8. Ground.
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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