Lemon Barley Water from the Court
A very old thirst-quenching drink: pearl barley boiled, the water flavored with lemon and lightly sweetened. Light, smooth, and tangy, it rehydrates without weighing you down — perfect between games in the sun.
A very old thirst-quenching drink: pearl barley boiled, the water flavored with lemon and lightly sweetened. Light, smooth, and tangy, it rehydrates without weighing you down — perfect between games in the sun.
At Wimbledon, on that perfect grass, sometimes it was so hot you didn’t know where to put yourself. They’d hand you this glass of barley water with lemon at the changeover — not too sweet, just enough to set you right. Back home, Mum used to make it too: she’d save the water from cooking barley, squeeze a lemon in, a drop of sugar. You drink that, catch your breath, and get back to work.
- •Pearl barley — a handful (base, infusion)
- •Water — several cups (liquid)
- •Lemon — one or two (flavor, acidity)
- •Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
Lemon Barley Water from the Court
A very old thirst-quenching drink: pearl barley boiled, the water flavored with lemon and lightly sweetened. Light, smooth, and tangy, it rehydrates without weighing you down — perfect between games in the sun.
Why this dish? Lemon barley water has been the official drink of Wimbledon since 1935 — the one players sip during changeovers. Margaret Court, a three-time Wimbledon singles champion, certainly knew this refreshing barley water on the grass of the All England Club.
At Wimbledon, on that perfect grass, sometimes it was so hot you didn’t know where to put yourself. They’d hand you this glass of barley water with lemon at the changeover — not too sweet, just enough to set you right. Back home, Mum used to make it too: she’d save the water from cooking barley, squeeze a lemon in, a drop of sugar. You drink that, catch your breath, and get back to work.
Ingredients (period version)
- Pearl barley — a handful (base, infusion)
- Water — several cups (liquid)
- Lemon — one or two (flavor, acidity)
- Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
Ingredients
- Pearl barley — 100 g (base, infusion)
- Water — 1.5 L (liquid)
- Unwaxed lemons — 2 (zest and juice)
- Sugar — 50 to 80 g (sweetness)
Method
- Rinse the pearl barley under cold water.
- Put it in a saucepan with the water and lemon zest (pared with a peeler), bring to a boil.
- Simmer covered for 30 minutes.
- Strain the barley water into a pitcher and dissolve the sugar while it’s hot.
- Add the lemon juice, let cool, then refrigerate.
- Serve well chilled, diluted with water or ice if desired.
How it was made : Barley water dates back to ancient Greece (Hippocrates’ ‘ptisan’) and was long a drink for convalescents and athletes in Great Britain. Robinson’s made it a commercial drink in 1935 and it became the official refreshment of Wimbledon — a detail intimately tied to the tennis history that Margaret Court helped shape.
The contemporary twist : Serve as ‘iced barley water’ over crushed ice with a lemon slice and a mint leaf, summer mocktail style.
Margaret Court · Charactorium
