flipLemon Barley Water
Lemon Barley Water
Why this dish? Barley water was the comforting drink of modest English homes: given to the sick, to children, it soothed the stomach. Chaplin's mother, often ill, and the workhouses where he was placed as a child served it — a cheap, gentle, almost maternal drink, reflecting the frugality he kept.
A warm or cool drink made by boiling pearl barley, flavored with lemon zest and juice and lightly sweetened. Thirst-quenching, slightly cloudy, reputed to be soothing.
When one of us was poorly, my mother would put a handful of barley to boil, and the house would take on a sweet, clean smell. She'd squeeze a lemon into it, barely any sugar — we had little — and we'd drink it warm, in small sips. It wasn't much, but it warmed the belly and the heart, and when you have nothing, believe me, that's already a lot.
- •Pearl barley — a handful (base)
- •Water — a large pitcher (infusion)
- •Lemon (zest and juice) — one (tangy flavor)
- •Sugar — a touch (sweetener)
Lemon Barley Water
A warm or cool drink made by boiling pearl barley, flavored with lemon zest and juice and lightly sweetened. Thirst-quenching, slightly cloudy, reputed to be soothing.
Why this dish? Barley water was the comforting drink of modest English homes: given to the sick, to children, it soothed the stomach. Chaplin's mother, often ill, and the workhouses where he was placed as a child served it — a cheap, gentle, almost maternal drink, reflecting the frugality he kept.
When one of us was poorly, my mother would put a handful of barley to boil, and the house would take on a sweet, clean smell. She'd squeeze a lemon into it, barely any sugar — we had little — and we'd drink it warm, in small sips. It wasn't much, but it warmed the belly and the heart, and when you have nothing, believe me, that's already a lot.
Ingredients (period version)
- Pearl barley — a handful (base)
- Water — a large pitcher (infusion)
- Lemon (zest and juice) — one (tangy flavor)
- Sugar — a touch (sweetener)
Ingredients
- Pearl barley — 60 g (base)
- Water — 1.2 L (infusion)
- Unwaxed lemons — 2 (zest + juice) (tangy flavor)
- Sugar or honey — 40 g (to taste) (sweetener)
Method
- Rinse the barley, put it in a saucepan with the water and lemon zest (pared with a peeler).
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 25–30 minutes.
- Remove from heat, add sugar (or honey) and stir to dissolve.
- Strain the liquid (reserve the barley for soup or porridge).
- Add lemon juice, taste and adjust.
- Serve warm as a comforting drink, or chilled as a summer refreshment.
How it was made : Barley water is one of Europe's oldest medicinal drinks, recommended for fevers and stomach upsets. In poor homes, it had the advantage of using a very cheap ingredient and turning cooking water into a nourishing beverage. The lemon version became an English domestic classic.
The contemporary twist : Served very cold with ice and a little mint, it becomes a lemon barley cordial — the homemade cousin of the famous barley water on tennis courts.
Charlie Chaplin · Charactorium
