I feel the need for Mead

Nothing says Medieval celebration quite like mead. And, today is national Mead day. Evoking scenes of Norse Gods and Beowulf, mead has been a part of lore and myth for millennia. But, what is this ambrosia of the gods; and, why has it fallen out of favor? With artisan and designer beers, spirits, and cocktails, you would expect a mad rush toward mead. Sadly, there are only a handful of brewers specializing in it today. Maybe it is hard to find. But, if for only today, make an effort to seek it out. We can’t let this ancient art form slip into obscurity (as it already has). Today, I feel the need for Mead.

But, what exactly is mead. Most define it as honey wine. But, there are actual honey wines out there that are actually wines infused with honey. Some call it honey beer. Technically, it’s neither wine nor beer because it doesn’t involve fruit or grains. Mead is fermented honey and water. Most versions incorporate some kind of spice or fruit as well. So, to my mind, it’s more akin to beer since it involves water. Wine is just the juice. So, technically, it’s closer to beer. But, mead aficionados will tell you it is its own category. But, if you want to brew some mead, you follow similar steps to brewing beer.

Why do I feel the need for Mead

Maybe I’ve watched too many Thor movies. It just looks really cool drinking mead from a horn. And, it sounds hip to talk about imbibing mead. But, is it really? There are so many other things to drink out there. What makes mead so special? It’s a very simple drink at heart. It’s fermented honey water. So, why the mystique? Most likely, it’s the association with gods and history that give mead its reputation.

But, obviously, it hasn’t captured much market share. Beer and Wine are the most widely consumed alcoholic beverages. Then you have high alcohol spirits and liquors. In recent years, hard seltzer and ciders have seen an increase in sales. But, mead is still an outlier. We aren’t suggesting that mead should be a number one seller. But, why can’t it get more visibility?

Blame the liquor industry for that. Hard cider has been popular in Europe for centuries. In the US, not so much, until Budweiser bought up some hard cider brands. Now it’s a staple in every liquor store. And, don’t get me started on hard seltzer. You want hard seltzer? Take sparkling water and add vodka and flavors. Do we really need cans of this?

So, given the popularity of something as insipid as alcohol water, isn’t it time that the oldest liquor in captivity got it’s day in the light. So, yes, I feel the need for Mead, because it’s a history that cannot and should not be ignored.

And, it’s versatile

Mead comes in many forms. It is like wine in its characteristics like being dry, sweet, or semi dry. The type and amount of honey affects the final product. Then there are additions like herbs, hops, and fruits that change the beverage completely. There are dozens of variations with separate names even for example:

1. Braggot: a crossbreed beer made with honey, grains, and hops
2. Sack Mead: High honey concentration (sweeter)
3. Pyment: Mead made with grape juice
4. Cyser: Addition of apple (like a cider)
5. Metheglin: spiced or herbed
6. Bochet: Honey is caramelized to give toffee, chocolate, or marshmallow tones
7. Acerglyn: Maple syrup added to the brewing
8. Capsicumel: Chili peppers added
9. Hydromel: mixed with fruit
10. Morat: Addition of mullberries

The list goes on. But, mead is so much more than a base alcohol. Besides being an elixir of the gods, it also was a favorite of medicine men throughout history. As you may know, honey has many medicinal properties: anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial. It treats coughs, colds, pain, wounds, burns, and more. And, mead is just an alcoholic version of honey. So, it was actually prescribed by doctors. The addition of herbs adds to its medicinal properties.

So, what to do when I feel the need for mead?

At this time, It’s still hard to find mead. But, there are craft meaderies in almost every state in the country. Michigan, California, and New York have the most. But, there are more popping up every year. And, why not? Micro breweries are everywhere. So, what was once special is now a struggle for market share. The same applies to wine, and even distilleries. But, mead is a truly unique experience.

Mead allows you to experience ancient history in a new way. We all know what beer, wine, and liquor taste like since we are exposed to them every day. But, mead is that step off the beaten path. It’s an exploration of subtle nuances, and it may even cure what ails you. Or as they say in the beer industry, what ales you (They don’t say that). Mead is a process that involves natural processes combined with human intervention: Bees feed off of certain flowers, create honey; the, we process it into a beverage. A mead made from clover honey with taste different than wildflower or orange blossom honey. When you really think about it, it’s an interspecies collaboration (even though the bees may not realize it).

So, the next time you want to go for a drink or experience involving drink, remember the mantra: I feel the need for Mead, and head to a local meadery or find a store that carries mead. Help local artisans with a truly historical and noble product. There are directories available on the internet if you don’t know where to find one near you.

Don’t stop with a drink

And, let’s not forget, drinking mead isn’t the only way to enjoy it. We already mentioned how doctors prescribed it for ailments in the past. You can probably still find holistic care providers who would recommend it as well. But, it also serves as a great ingredient for cooking. So between sips of mead, why not follow some of our recipes here.

Pretty much, anywhere you could use wine or beer in cooking, you can use mead. Think of things like a cheese dip, fondue, or even main dishes like a coq au vin, or even barbecue sauce. All can benefit from mead’s sweet and warming flavors. It can transcend cuisine styles to add to simple every day cooking or high end gourmet cuisine. How about a mead Sabayon or even a mead gelato for dessert?

So let’s have a slight variation on Julia child’s a little wine for the dish and a little wine for the cook as we imbibe and cook our way through ancient history with the elixir of the gods: Mead.

Spicy Mead Glazed Chicken Wings with Charred Apple Salsa

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

marinating time 2 hours hrs

Course Appetizer, first course

Cuisine American, International, Mexican

Servings 2 Dozen wings

Ingredients

  

• 2 Dozen Chicken Wings
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Shallots
• 1/4 Cup Honey
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
• 2 Cups Mead
• 1 Cup Lime Juice
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Jalapeno or other hot chili pepper
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro
• 1 tsp Ground Fresh Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
• avocado oil for cooking
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Corn starch
• For Salsa:
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Onion
• 1 tsp Chopped Fresh Ginger
• 2 Tbsp Avocado or coconut Oil
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Red Bell Pepper
• 1 tsp Chopped Fresh Jalapeno
• 1/4 Cup Lime Juice
• 1/4 Cup Mead
• 2 to 3 each Hearty apples, cored and quartered, skin on
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Scallion
• 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Chili Powder

Instructions

 

• Saute the shallots and garlic for the marinade and glaze in a little oil over medium heat until translucent. Add in the rest of the ingredients except for the Cornstarch and bring to a boil. Stir as needed. Allow the flavors to blend and the liquid to reduce by about 10%. This should take about 1 to 2 minutes over high heat.
• Mix the cornstarch with a little water and Whisk in. Keep cooking until it becomes lightly thickened. Remove from heat.
• Place chicken wings in a bowl and pour about 1/2 of the glaze in with the wings. Toss to even coat with the mixture. Refrigerate the wing for at least 2 hours, overnight if possible so the marinade can work its way into the wings.
• Make the salsa: Preheat a grill. Toss the apples with a little oil, Mark them on a grille until they are just cooked. Don't burn them, but leave some marks. You don't want them mushy. Let them cool. Then dice them and all your vegetables. In a pan over medium high heat, heat some oil, Saute the onions and ginger. add the lime juice and mead. Bring to a boil. whisk in the spices. Remove from the heat. mix all ingredients together. If you want a more dippable salsa, pulse it in a food processor.
• Preheat an oven to 550 degrees. Spray a sheet pan with pan spray and spread out the wings evenly. roast for about 20 minutes, they should get some good color, but be careful not to burn them. If they aren't quite cooked, leave them in for a couple more minutes. Take the wings out, glaze with the mead mixture. Pop back in the oven for a few minutes until the glaze adheres to the wings. Serve hot with the Apple salsa.

Keyword apple, Charred, Chicken Wings, Chili, Glazed, Mead, salsa, spicy

Lemon Mead Sabayon with Fresh Berries

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

• 8 Large Egg yolks
• 1.5 Cups Sugar
• 1.25 Cups Mead
• 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
• Zest from 1 Lemon
• 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 2 Cups Assorted Fresh Berries
• Mint and Lemon Zest for garnish

Instructions

 

• Cut strawberries and place in glasses with other berries.
• Set up a double boiler by putting about an inch of water in a pot on the stove and getting a stainless steel mixing bowl that will fit over the pot without allowing the steam to get in the bowl.
• Place sugar, eggs, lemon juice, and zest in the bowl and whisk in the mixing bowl over boiling water. Beat like a hollandaise until the egg mixture becomes frothy and pale. But, don't allow the eggs to scramble. Drizzle in the mead, and continue whisking vigorously until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and pour over your berries in a glass. Garnish and Serve while still warm. Or, you can allow it to cool slightly.

Notes

For a different take, try the sabayon with other fruits like poached pears or Summer stone fruit like plums or necatarines.

Keyword Custard, dessert, Fresh, honey, Lemon, Mead, Raspberries, Sabayon, summer