flipBarley Water with Honey and Lemon
Barley Water with Honey and Lemon
Why this dish? Melba avoided anything deemed bad for the throat before singing; orgeat — barley water sweetened with honey and lemon — was the preferred drink of singers of the time to clear and soothe the voice, inherited from an English tradition (barley water) she knew from the British Empire.
A gently infused pearl barley water, strained and flavored with honey and lemon: warm it comforts, cold it refreshes. The wise drink of the diva who cares for her instrument.
Champagne is for others; but for my voice, I always keep barley water at hand. You boil the barley very gently, strain this milky juice, and stir in a spoonful of good honey with a squeeze of lemon. Neither too hot nor too cold — cold is the sworn enemy of the throat! I kept a carafe of it in my dressing room at Covent Garden and at the Palais Garnier. A voice, you see, must be tended like a garden.
- •Pearl barley — a handful (base of the decoction)
- •Water — as needed (infusion)
- •Honey — a spoonful (sweetener)
- •Lemon — one, juice and a bit of zest (acidity, freshness)
Barley Water with Honey and Lemon
A gently infused pearl barley water, strained and flavored with honey and lemon: warm it comforts, cold it refreshes. The wise drink of the diva who cares for her instrument.
Why this dish? Melba avoided anything deemed bad for the throat before singing; orgeat — barley water sweetened with honey and lemon — was the preferred drink of singers of the time to clear and soothe the voice, inherited from an English tradition (barley water) she knew from the British Empire.
Champagne is for others; but for my voice, I always keep barley water at hand. You boil the barley very gently, strain this milky juice, and stir in a spoonful of good honey with a squeeze of lemon. Neither too hot nor too cold — cold is the sworn enemy of the throat! I kept a carafe of it in my dressing room at Covent Garden and at the Palais Garnier. A voice, you see, must be tended like a garden.
Ingredients (period version)
- Pearl barley — a handful (base of the decoction)
- Water — as needed (infusion)
- Honey — a spoonful (sweetener)
- Lemon — one, juice and a bit of zest (acidity, freshness)
Ingredients
- Pearl barley — 60 g (decoction)
- Water — 1 L (infusion)
- Honey — 2 tbsp (sweetener)
- Lemon — 1 (juice + a little zest) (acidity)
Method
- Rinse the pearl barley in clear water to remove surface starch.
- Bring the barley and water to a boil, then simmer covered for 30 minutes: the liquid becomes slightly milky.
- Strain, pressing to extract the juice (save the cooked barley for soup).
- While the liquid is still warm, dissolve the honey, add the lemon juice and a little zest.
- Serve warm to soothe the throat, or let cool without chilling for a refreshing drink.
How it was made : Barley water, inherited from English kitchens and 19th-century domestic remedies, was the reputedly gentlest drink for the throat. Singers and speakers kept a carafe at hand; it was sweetened with honey, considered sovereign against vocal irritations.
The contemporary twist : A slice of fresh ginger infused with the barley, for a slightly spicy "dressing-room tonic" version.
Sources : Mrs Beeton, Book of Household Management (19th-century editions), section on barley water
Nellie Melba · Charactorium
