Drink

For most people, mead is the legendary drink of ancient gods, Shakespeare, and Vikings. But this potent elixir of fermented honey and water - possibly the oldest booze known to humanity - is still popular in Africa. Could Philly be next? Just taste this example from South Africa's Makana meadery, which has been brewing impressive updates to the historic drink, known to the Xhosa people as iQhilika, infusing it with everything from rooibos tea and cinnamon to chilies.

Thanks to those esoteric drink hunters over at Tria, the cafe's two locations are serving the only cases of Makana coming into Pennsylvania. After tasting Makana's "gold coffee" mead, infused with extremely rare beans from South Africa, I can see why. This mead's sweet and tangy profile is a perfect pairing for stinky cheese (such as Winnamere), with the lightly honeyed taste of beeswax infused with a salty mocha finish - vaguely recalling madeira.

- Craig LaBan

Makana iQhilika African "Gold Coffee" Mead, $7.50 a glass, at Tria cafes (123 S. 18th St., 215-972-8742; or 1137 Spruce St., 215-629-9200).