Taste test: honey mustard dressingLook out for: a balance of honey sweetness

Look out for: a balance of honey sweetness and a punchy, peppery mustard kick. You want a loose consistency that coats salad without coming out in globules.?Guest panellist: Tristan Welch, head chef of Launceston Place, London W8 (020-7937 6912).The top threeFour stars The English Provender Co Organic Honey & Mustard Dressing, 250g, ￡1.65. There’s an immediate hit of honey, but it’s in harmony with the Dijon mustard, and there’s a faint vinegary zing working away in the background. Perhaps a little viscous, but the flavour is lovely and fresh.Four stars Duchy Originals Honey & Mustard Vinaigrette, 250ml, ￡3.29. Quite olive oily, but it coats the salad leaves nicely, and the grain mustard seeds pop pleasantly. With a nicely rounded flavour, this is just fine.Three stars Sainsbury’s SO Organic Honey & Mustard Dressing, 250g, ￡1.49. A really earthy mustard seed flavour shoots through this, but you’re left waiting for a kick that never comes. It’s not bad, just a bit mainstream.And the rest…Two stars Briannas Home Style Dijon Honey Mustard Dressing, 355ml, ￡1.99. It has the lovely smooth consistency and bright colouring of traditional English mustard, but where’s the fieriness? It’s too prissy and almost dessert-like.Two stars Hellmann’s Honey & Mustard Dressing, 235ml, 77p. Absolutely no hint of acidity, pepperiness or any warmth of flavour at all here. It’s just a sweet, creamy goo.One star Waitrose Acacia Honey Mustard & Sherry Dressing, 375ml, ￡2.89. This is horrible and smells, well, vile… like eggy salad cream with a big slug of engine oil.