The uses of mustard have been known for thousands of years for both culinary and medicinal purposes. In medieval Europe, mustard was one of the few spices commonly available to the peasants, and its strong, bitter, hot aromatic tastes often masked the flavors of spoiling meats. Mustard is used widely in European and Chinese cooking. Use in soups, stews, pickling, or season fish, lamb, mussels, salmon, sausage, pork, beef, rabbit, poultry, and sauerkraut.