Time: To boil until the liquid is reduced one half
Sufficient to make 1 quart of barley-water
Ingredients
2 oz. of pearl barley
2 quarts of boiling water
1 pint of cold water
Directions
Wash the barley in cold water
Put it into a saucepan with the above proportion of cold water
When it has boiled for about 1/4 hour, strain off the water
Add the 2 quarts of fresh boiling water
Boil it until the liquid is reduced one half
Strain it, and it will be ready for use.
It may be flavoured with lemon-peel, after being sweetened, or a small piece may be simmered with the barley. When the invalid may take it, a little lemon-juice gives this pleasant drink in illness a very nice flavour.Source: The Book of Household Management by Isabella Beeton (1859)
Aqua Mirabilis
