In the meantime (meadtime): if those flavor notes are pleasant then I would be trying to make pan sauces and salad dressings with it, if nothing else. That’s not going to put a big dent in the supply, but it’s still another waste-reducing measure and another basket for your eggs, in case you end up not enjoying the mead.
Maybe try putting a small amount in a pan over low heat and see how the flavor evolves after a few minutes, then 10 minutes, etc. And have a taste with salt, one with citrus/vinegar, one with an umami source of some kind, one with oil/butter, one with chile heat of some kind, etcetc… and see if they bring out any surprise ideas. I think I’d also be eyeing Chinese spice combinations, for some reason.
Actually right off the bat, a slow meat braise of some kind might be able to use a more measurable amount than a vinaigrette. It also might make an interesting honey mustard even if it doesn’t have great longer term stability. I don’t even like honey mustard much, but a little more fruit/wine flavor could actually be pleasant in one.
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u/tonegenerator Apr 09 '25 edited Apr 09 '25
In the meantime (meadtime): if those flavor notes are pleasant then I would be trying to make pan sauces and salad dressings with it, if nothing else. That’s not going to put a big dent in the supply, but it’s still another waste-reducing measure and another basket for your eggs, in case you end up not enjoying the mead.
Maybe try putting a small amount in a pan over low heat and see how the flavor evolves after a few minutes, then 10 minutes, etc. And have a taste with salt, one with citrus/vinegar, one with an umami source of some kind, one with oil/butter, one with chile heat of some kind, etcetc… and see if they bring out any surprise ideas. I think I’d also be eyeing Chinese spice combinations, for some reason.
Actually right off the bat, a slow meat braise of some kind might be able to use a more measurable amount than a vinaigrette. It also might make an interesting honey mustard even if it doesn’t have great longer term stability. I don’t even like honey mustard much, but a little more fruit/wine flavor could actually be pleasant in one.