Book Lush 101: Drink Your Way through English Literature
Posted by Celia Walter | 30 Jun, 2009[Below] is the first of a series of 13 "lectures" included in Professor Michelle Kerns, Book Examiner's fake college course, Book Lush 101: Drink Your Way through English Literature. For background on the series, the course syllabus, and a list of all upcoming lectures, visit the Book Lush 101 page here.
Lecture 1: Uncorking the beginnings of English literature, or "Hand me another mead, Wiglaf, this epic poetry is killing me."
Beowulf, written sometime in the 700s by one or more unknown British authors, is considered to be the first major work of English literature. This epic poem relates the heroic adventures of the warrior Beowulf, takes place in Scandinavia, and is as boring as hell...
Mead, an alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of honey and water with yeast, is considered by many scholars to be "the ancestor of all fermented drinks." Mead, which can range in alcoholic content from that of a mild ale to a strong wine, must have seemed like the nectar of the gods to 8th century inhabitants. No wonder why Grendel needed to be taken out -- messing with Danish warriors is bad, but messing with the mead hall? Your days are numbered, son...
Here is a homemade mead recipe courtesy of Baron Sir Riekin ap Grugach...
The take-home lesson from Book Lush 101, Lecture 1? Beowulf, the foundational work of English literature, was firmly planted in the enjoyment of alcoholic beverages.
Thanks to Ingrid Thomson for this.