Tierenteyn-Verlant is a little shop in Ghent's Groentemarkt Square that sells pickles, spices,…read moresauces, teas, and most notably, mustard. Tierenteyn is actually the name of the Ghent mustard producing company that's been around since its founding by Petrus Tierenteyn back in the early 1800s. Nowadays, it's one of the only ones left.
When we were taken quickly around Ghent so we could be given as much free time as possible, our guide specifically pointed out this shop to us. Not only is the square and building itself historical, but it also allows you to peek in on their stores of traditionally made mustard. It's another product special to this region and something you can't get in the US, as it doesn't ship. Not only can you get the mustard bottled or packed for your directly from the barrel with a wooden spoon (as is traditional), but they also give out samples of their mustard, mayos, and sauces with the help of breadstick crackers.
I found the shop to be positively charming. And so much fun even though I'm not even that much of a mustard fan, but this was definitely fun to try out. There's a distinctly horse-radish-y and is a distinct souvenir or gift. You'll have to transport it back through a checked-in bag, as it's definitely liquid, and much more fluid than the mustard we're used to. If you're especially worried about the glass jars breaking, they have plastic containers as well. We ended up getting a jar for ourselves because (while they really are great gifts) we didn't want to share. If you're a fan of their mustard, you can ask the staff about other local establishments that make use of Tierenteyn-Verlant's mustard. If you're feeling especially daring, their website mentions places that use their mustard to create cocktails.
Overall, I think this is definitely a place worth stopping by while you're in Ghent. As a unique specialty and a shop where you can choose which jar you would like, it's worth going in to take a look, maybe sample a bit, and grab something for either yourself or a friend. My family uses it for a surprising amount of occasions, including as part of charcuterie boards we make for gatherings and apparently pretzels. For those in the Silicon Valley area, there is a German butcher/meat shop/sandwich location in Los Altos called Dittmer's Gourmet Meats & Wurst-Haus. They sell a variety of pretzels and I can now say that mustard from Tierenteyn-Verlant goes GREAT with them.
