Blanch the barley in boiling salted water for about 3 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water. Meanwhile peel onion and garlic and dice finely. Peel and wash the parsnips, cut them in half horizontally and slice them.
Halve the pumpkin, remove seeds and cut into small slices. Heat the oil in a wide pot. Fry onion, garlic, barley and vegetables for about 4 minutes. Pour in broth, add mettenden and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Wash the oregano, dab dry and remove the leaves. Before serving, cut the ends of the mead into slices and arrange on plates. Sprinkle with oregano.