Mead is just apparently a novelty in the landscape of alcoholic beverages; In fact its origin is very ancient, certainly older than the wine itself, as it is not a product of fruits grown from cultivated plants but from honey extracted from wild swarms.
From the Ethiopian highlands where it originated, the production and consumption of this drink extended to all peoples of antiquity, to the Greeks and Romans, who so called it. Then, vine cultivation and wine production suppressed hydromele in almost all of Europe; There are still only locally important productions in France, Great Britain and all Eastern European countries.
Mead production is identical to that of wine, a certain amount of honey melts in the water and fermented. Once the fermentation is complete and clear, the hydromel can be consumed; To some types of hydromeleons will greatly benefit a more or less prolonged aging in wooden barrels.
Different kinds of hydromels can be produced; According to the percentage of honey used, there may be dried, sweet, and liquorous hydromels with a varying alcoholic strength of between 9 and 15 degrees.
How do you drink water, and what foods can you accompany? Here a chapter is opened to write and everyone can indulge in their creativity. Serve it always fresh (10 - 12 C˚), with a dry pastry, or as an aperitif, especially the sweet one. If you want to taste it unusually, accompany it to a slice of seasoned oats or gorgonzola, sprinkled with chopped walnuts and warm honey chestnut honey or slices of colonized lard with acacia honey, or even with liver croutons, goose.
The last warning, though it may seem trivial: hydromel is not a wine; Has a peculiar taste that does not resemble wine, and wine can not be compared.
Prosit!