This is an I-Heart podcast.

Guaranteed human.

This is our American stories, and our next story is about a condiment.

All of us know and use mustard.

In Middleton, Wisconsin, there's a museum dedicated to this stuff.

Here to tell the story is the founder of that museum, Barry Levinson.

Take it away, Barry.

I don't know if you know, according to the National Contiment Research Council Annual Report,

ketchup is now the leading cause of childhood stupidity in America. Just telling you.

Hi, my name is Barry Levinson and I am the founder and curator of the National Mustard Museum in

Middleton, Wisconsin. And this was not what I planned on doing when I was much younger.

I actually was a lawyer at one time. I was head of the Criminal Appeals Division for the state of

Wisconsin. But the curse that I had upon me was that I'm originally from Massachusetts,

which means, of course, I am a diehard Red Sox fan. I grew up having my heart broken year

after year. 1967, they made it to the World Series. I remember it clearly. They lost in seven games.

1975, they also went to the World Series, lost in seven games. Then came 1986, and at the time I was here in

Wisconsin doing criminal appellate work, and the Red Sox were in the World Series and I told my friends this is the year.

There's no doubt that they had Roger Clemens, they had, oh my gosh, I think they must have

had, they had some great players then. And it was game six. The Red Sox were ahead by two runs,

victory steamed, assured, but of course they lost. One thing led to another. I was devastated,

but there was still game seven, and game seven came, and of course they lost. I was so depressed. I couldn't

sleep, so I went to an all-night grocery store, an all-night supermarket, just to walk.

...