Nina, my mother’s friend, could make Sloppy Joes to perfection. The sizzling sound of ground beef cooking in the electric frying pan and the scent of onions and ketchup drifting down the hallways where she lived, was enough to call children to dinner without a word. Mustard, used since Roman times, adds an essential spicy flavor to these sandwiches. Yellow mustard, prepared from mustard seeds, actually obtains its color from turmeric. Mustard plants can be seen blooming in the fields of Norwich, England in June. Nina now lives in Europe.

    1 pound lean ground beef
    1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
    3/4 cup ketchup
    1 teaspoon mustard powder
    1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
    1 tablespoon white vinegar
    Pinch salt
    Pinch ground black pepper

    6 hamburger buns

1.  In a 5-quart sauté pan, brown the beef. Add the onions and
     cook until translucent. Stir in ketchup, mustard, sugar,
     vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.

2.  Serve meat filling in toasted hamburger buns.

     Makes 6 sandwiches