The progression isn't about palate cleansing, because cheese and pretzels don't really do that, except by contrast.
Wine and cheese are both products aged over a long time, and can be very expensive. And they taste fairly good together.
Beer and pretzels age over shorter times and are both more yeasty. They cost less. And they taste fairly good together.
So mead would need something which has some production values similar to itself, something that constrasts, and something which tastes good with it. My first reaction was "meat" because it fits two of those, and has nice alliteration as well. Cruncy artisan bread would be tasty, too, perhaps with cheeses.
If you don't want to go with amateur opinions, surely there must be commercial meaderies which have suggestions for either pairings or tastings?
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Wine and cheese are both products aged over a long time, and can be very expensive. And they taste fairly good together.
Beer and pretzels age over shorter times and are both more yeasty. They cost less. And they taste fairly good together.
So mead would need something which has some production values similar to itself, something that constrasts, and something which tastes good with it. My first reaction was "meat" because it fits two of those, and has nice alliteration as well. Cruncy artisan bread would be tasty, too, perhaps with cheeses.
If you don't want to go with amateur opinions, surely there must be commercial meaderies which have suggestions for either pairings or tastings?