used by homebrewers or to give the impression of small-batch handcrafted meads. This package may contain anything and you’d do well to read the label closely and ask questions of the meadmaker in order to accurately predict what style is in the jar. (4) this is a classic white wine bottle; the mead is still (not carbonated or sparkling); it may be dry or sweet but is meant to be served well chilled. (5) this is a classic dessert wine bottle, typically 375ml or 187 ml. The mead inside is almost certainly dessert-sweet and meant to be drunk at room temperature or only slightly chilled. (6) swing-top “” bottles are a more expensive variant of a beer bottle. These bottles are more expensive that crown-capped bottles and will generally indicate a more expensively-made mead than a crown-capped bottle. It’s again most likely a low-alcohol, refreshing session mead or cyser that is both carbonated and meant to be drunk well chilled. The lid means the mead will keep its fizz for a few days after opening.

CHAPTER ONE

IntroductionThis book is about maximizing your

enjoyment of mead. I describe and explain all the varieties of mead, how to pour and drink them, and how to pair each type with food. Then I’ll take you a layer deeper, telling you the story of how mead developed in each of several parts of the world in the context of that region’s food traditions, with more detailed suggestions for pairing ethnic foods and ethnic styles of mead. In these pages you’ll meet many of the movers and shakers in the mead industry, see their meaderies, and feel more confident about going to meaderies and tasting and buying mead for your home mead cellar.

This book is not a cookbook per se, although it does contain about fifty food recipes for cooking at home to pair with mead. It’s much more about how to pair mead with food.

This book is not a book about homebrewing mead. There exist about two dozen standalone books on the topic of how to make mead at home; there’s a list of them in the Resources section at the back of this book (my personal favorite is Ken Sch

1. Introduction 17

Packaging

The sheer number of bottle types used for mead can be overwhelming, but reflects the diversity of the genre. Some hints about what’s inside can generally be inferred from the package chosen by the meadmaker. These interpretations are the author’s, not any firm rule. From left to right: (1) this is a classic red wine bottle and implies a full-bodied mead appropriate for the dinner table, generally meant to be served at room temperature or slightly cooled to cellar temperature. (2) a beer bottle is the least expensive packaging. One expects this to be an affordable, lightly carbonated, refreshing, low-alcohol session mead, with or without additional ingredients, and best served well-chilled. (3) a honey jar or mason jar may be used by homebrewers or to give the impression of small-batch handcrafted meads. This package may contain anything and you’d do well to read the label closely and ask questions of the meadmaker in order to accurately predict what style is in the jar. (4) this is a classic white wine bottle; the mead is still (not carbonated or sparkling); it may be dry or sweet but is meant to be served well chilled. (5) this is a classic

19 1. Introduction

the genre. Some hints about what’s inside can generally be inferred from the package chosen by the meadmaker. These interpretations are the author’s, not any firm rule. From left to right: (1) this is a classic red wine bottle and implies a full-bodied mead appropriate for the dinner table, generally meant to be served at room temperature or slightly cooled to cellar temperature. (2) a beer bottle is the least expensive packaging. One expects this to be an affordable, lightly carbonated, refreshing, low-alcohol session mead, with or without additional ingredients, and best served well-chilled. (3) a honey jar or mason jar may be used by homebrewers or to give the impression of small-batch handcrafted meads. This package may contain anything and you’d do well to read the label closely and ask questions of the meadmaker in order to accurately predict what style is in the jar. (4) this is a classic white wine bottle; the mead is still (not carbonated or sparkling); it may be dry or sweet but is meant to be served well chilled. (5) this is a classic dessert wine bottle, typically 375ml or 187 ml. The mead inside is almost certainly dessert-sweet and meant to be drunk at room temperature or only slightly chilled. (6) swing-top “Grolsch” bottles are a more expensive variant of a beer bottle. These bottles are more expensive that crown-capped bottles and will generally indicate a more expensively-made mead than a crown-capped bottle. It’s again most likely a low-alcohol, refreshing session mead or cyser that is both

you a layer deeper, telling you the story of how mead developed in each of several parts of the world in the context of that region’s food traditions, with more detailed suggestions for pairing ethnic foods and ethnic styles of mead. In these pages you’ll meet many of the movers and shakers in the mead industry, see their meaderies, and feel more confident about going to meaderies and tasting and buying mead for your home mead cellar.

This book is not a cookbook per se, although it does contain about fifty food recipes for cooking at home to pair with contain about fifty food recipes for cooking at home to pair with contain about fifty food recipes for cooking at home to pair with mead. It’s much more about how to pair mead with food.

This book is not a book about homebrewing mead. There

Packaging

The sheer number of bottle types used for mead can be overwhelming, but reflects the diversity of the genre. Some hints about what’s inside can generally be inferred from the package chosen by the meadmaker. These interpretations are the author’s, not any firm rule. From left to right: (1) this is a classic red wine bottle and implies a full-bodied mead appropriate for the dinner table, generally meant to be served at room temperature or slightly cooled to cellar temperature. (2) a beer bottle is the least expensive packaging. One expects this to be an affordable, lightly carbonated, refreshing, low-alcohol session mead, with or without additional ingredients, and best served well-chilled. (3) a honey jar or mason jar may be used by homebrewers or to give the impression of small-batch handcrafted meads. This package may contain anything and you’d do well to read the label closely and ask questions of the meadmaker in order to accurately predict what style is in the jar. (4) this is a classic white wine bottle; the mead is still (not carbonated or sparkling); it may be dry or sweet but is meant to be served

be overwhelming, but reflects the diversity of the genre. Some hints about what’s inside can the meadmaker. These interpretations are the author’s, not any firm rule. From left to right: (1) this is a classic red wine bottle and implies a full-bodied mead appropriate for the dinner table, generally meant to be served at room temperature or slightly cooled to cellar temperature. (2) a beer bottle is the least expensive packaging. One expects this to be an affordable, lightly carbonated, refreshing, low-alcohol session mead, with or without additional ingredients, and best served well-chilled. (3) a honey jar or mason jar may be used by homebrewers or to give the impression of small-batch handcrafted meads. This package may contain anything and you’d do well to read the label closely and ask questions of the meadmaker in order to accurately predict what style is in the jar. (4) this is a classic white wine bottle; the mead is still (not carbonated or sparkling); it may be dry or sweet but is meant to be served well chilled. (5) this is a classic dessert wine bottle, typically 375ml or 187 ml. The mead inside is almost certainly dessert-sweet and meant to be drunk at room temperature or only slightly chilled. (6) swing-top “Grolsch” bottles are a more expensive variant of a beer bottle. These bottles are more expensive that crown-capped bottles and will generally indicate a more expensively-made mead than a crown-capped bottle. It’s again most likely a low-alcohol, refreshing session mead or cyser that is both carbonated and meant to be drunk well chilled. The recloseable lid means the mead will keep its fizz for a few days after opening.

1. Introduction 17

be overwhelming, but reflects the diversity of the genre. Some hints about what’s inside can generally be inferred from the package chosen by the meadmaker. These interpretations are the author’s, not any firm rule. From left to right: (1) this is a classic red wine bottle and implies a full-bodied mead appropriate for the dinner table, generally meant to be served at room temperature or slightly cooled to cellar temperature. (2) a beer bottle is the least expensive packaging. One expects this to be an affordable, lightly carbonated,

19 1. Introduction

homebrewers or to give the impression of small-batch handcrafted meads. This package may contain anything

homebrewers or to give the impression of small-batch handcrafted meads. This package may contain anything

homebrewers or to give the impression of small-batch handcrafted meads. This package may contain anything

The Art of &

By Chrissie Manion ZaerpoorPhotographs by Koorosh Zaerpoor

Foreword by Ken Schramm

MEADTasting FOOD

Pairing

The Art of MEAD

Tasting & FO

OD

Pairing

Zaerpoor

19 1. Introduction 1. Introduction 17

19 1. Introduction 1. Introduction 17

be overwhelming, but reflects the diversity of the genre. Some hints about what’s inside can generally be inferred from the package chosen by the meadmaker. These interpretations are the author’s, not any firm rule. From left to right: (1) this is a classic red wine bottle.

Asian History of Mead and implies a full-bodied mead appropriate for the dinner table, generally meant to be served at room temperature or slightly cooled to cellar temperature. (2) a beer bottle is the least expensive packaging. One expects this to be an affordable, lightly carbonated, refreshing, low-alcohol session mead, with or without additional ingredients, and best served well-chilled. (3) a honey jar or mason jar may be used by homebrewers or to give the impression of small-batch handcrafted meads. This package may contain anything and you’d do well to read the label closely and ask questions of the meadmaker in order to accurately predict what style is in theg

homebrewers or to give the impression of small-batch handcrafted meads. This package may contain anything

be overwhelming, but reflects the diversity of the genre. this to be an affordable, lightly carbonated, refreshing, low-alcohol session mead, with or without additional ingredients, and best served well-chilled. (3) a honey jar or mason jar may be used by homebrewers or to give the impression of small-batch handcrafted meads. This package may contain anything and you’d do well to read the label closely and ask questions of the meadmaker in order to accurately predict what style is in the jar. (4) this is a classic white wine bottle; the mead is still (not carbonated or sparkling); it may be dry or sweet but is meant to be served well chilled. (5) this is a classic dessert wine bottle, typically 375ml or 187 ml. The mead inside is almost certainly dessert-sweet and meant to be drunk at room

homebrewers or to give the impression of small-batch handcrafted meads. This package may contain anything

19 1. Introduction

1. Introduction 17

Some hints about what’s inside can generally be inferred from the package chosen by the meadmaker. These interpretations are the author’s, not any firm rule. From left to right: (1) this is a classic red wine bottle and implies a full-bodied mead appropriate for the dinner table, generally meant to be served at room

The Art of

&

By Chrissie Manion ZaerpoorPhotographs by Koorosh Zaerpoor

Foreword by Ken Schramm

MEADTasting FOOD Pairing

The Art of MEAD

Tasting & FO

OD

Pairing

Zaerpoor