Barley Water

A two-line recipe that leaves out the two things a modern cook wants: how long to simmer and what to do with it afterwards. Both are easily supplied.

• What "common barley" isPot or hulled barley, with only the inedible outer hull removed, so the bran and germ remain. It is sold as pot barley or hulled barley; pearl barley, polished smooth, is the usual supermarket default and gives a lighter, clearer drink "a very pleasant drink," in the page's own words, and one frequently substituted.
• A handful, in figuresRoughly 1/2 cup, about 100 g of dry grain. The proportion is what matters more than precision: about one part barley to twelve or fifteen parts water by volume, depending on whether the pints are read as American or imperial.
• Three pintsIf the book is British, imperial pints of 20 fl oz, so 60 fl oz or about 1.7 litres. An American reading gives 48 fl oz. Either works; the drink is simply thinner or thicker.
• Simmering timeNo time is given. Pot barley wants 50-60 minutes at a bare simmer, covered, to soften the grain and release starch; pearl barley needs 25-30. The liquid should reduce by roughly a third and turn faintly cloudy.
• The lemon peelUse peel from an unwaxed or well-scrubbed lemon, pared thin so no white pith goes in, or the drink turns bitter over a long simmer. Adding the peel for only the last 15 minutes gives a cleaner citrus note.
• FinishingStrain through a fine sieve, discarding the grain or saving it for soup. Sweeten with sugar or honey while still warm so it dissolves, then sharpen with the juice of the lemon. Both are implied by the tradition rather than stated here.
• Yield and keepingAbout a litre after straining, enough for four glasses. It separates on standing, so shake or stir before pouring, and refrigerate and use within three days: the sweetened starch spoils faster than you would expect.