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Miscellaneous Mad About Mead! by Pamela Spence $12.95 / Llewellyn Publ. / 1997 "Catch the Madness," begins this light-heartedly entertaining yet useful guide to meadmaking, written by Pamela Spence, a beekeeper and founder of the American Mead Association (AMA). Mad About Mead begins with a discussion of the history behind this fermented honeyed wine, acknowledged to be the oldest alcoholic beverage. The author then discusses the role mead played in celebrations and rituals, including baptism, puberty, marriage, and death. But the bulk of the book is dedicated to a detailed instruction on how to make mead (including what supplies are needed and where to get them) aided by a wonderful set of whimsical illustrations. And to round out the book, Spence finishes with 20 mead recipes, including such unique concoctions as Sneezy's Honey Mint Brandy and Witch-Away Elder Flower Mead, as well as how to deal with mead-making problems such as cloudy or "yucky" mead. This eclectic mix of history, mythology, rituals, and instructions is sure to tickle the fancy of any mead-lover. For, according to Spence, "meadmaking should, above all, be fun, magical, mirthful. You don't have to be a laboratory rat nor a techno cat, but a dash of the rakish adventurer doesn't hurt." —Lady Kimberly

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