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This sweet, viscous liquid produced by bees from the nectar of flowers which determine the colour and flavour, is made up of about 18% water and is water soluble. Somewhat acid, it has mild antiseptic qualities and has been used in the treatment of burns and wounds. It is very easily assimilated and is used for producing
candies, cereals, prepared fruits, baked goods and medicine. Mead is the world’s oldest alcoholic drink and is derived from the fermentation of honey. Its origins date back to about 10 000 BC, but it’s popularity in England has waxed and waned over the centuries due to the advent of cheap wines, gin and beer. Before grapes were introduced to Britain, the drinking of mead at weddings and a for a month afterwards, added the word ‘honeymoon’ to the English language.
It is an acquired taste and is made up of a solution of honey and water with the addition of yeast to produce the basic type of mead similar to a light drinking wine. The main flavour of the mead depends on the kinds of flowers the bees collect their nectar from. There are many versions and with the addition of herbs, spices and fruit juices, the resultant taste is quite like sherry, madeira or a herb liqueur. |
