to that made from ground barley or
groats. In order to make barley-water
properly, pearl-barley is necessary, and
m making it great care should be
taken to thoroughly cleanse the bar-
ley from all impurities. There are pro-
bably many persons who, at one period
of their life, have been, owing to sick-
ness, compelled to drink _ that by no
, means unpleasant preparation known as
barley-water, and have noticed, when it
| has been poured out into a glass and
I allowed to stand by the bedside, that at
| the bottom of the tumbler they find a
I sort of black sediment, which is simply
dirt. Now when the system is in a very
delicate state, and this barley is the
only nourishment which patients take,
this sediment is very objectionable.
This sediment in barley-water is owing
to the ignorance, and often to the care-
lessness of the cook. In making barley-
water cooks should always proceed as
follows : Take some pearl-barley, and
wash it well in two or three waters.
Then throw it into some boiling water
and let it boil for five or ten minute's.
Strain it through a sieve, and throw
away this first water in which it was
boiled. This water, of course, contains
a trifling quantity of nourishment, but
it is simply from the outer coating of
the pearl-barley mixed with the dirt.
The barley will now be thoroughly clean.
Place it in a small saucepan, with some
pure water, and let it simmer gently for
several hours. Then strain the pearl-
; barley off, and pour the liquor into a
I jug. It should be stirred up with a
! spoon before being poured out for the
| patient, as the barley will settle, and
I the top will be perfectly clear while the
bottom will be thick. There are a
variety of ways of flavouring barley
water, the best being a little sugar and
some Very thin strips of the rind of a
t lemon — only the yellow portion of the
| lemon-peel should be used. These strips
| should be cut so that there is no white
at all on the inner side. Of course the
modes of flavouring barley-water arc
almost infinite— orange peei, cinnamon,
nutmeg, wine, etc., as the doctor may
order. Groats are exceedingly useful
for making that well-known compound,
gruel, which is probably one of the best
cures for that most incurable of com-
plaints— a bad cold. There is an old
; saying, and a perfectly true one, that a
i cold will always cure itself. However,
HOUSEKEEPER'S GUIDE.
Tama- i
76
CROSSE AND BLACKWELL'S
there is no harm in “assisting nature.”
When gruel is taken for a cola, it is best
to take it in large quantities, and also
best for the patient to lie in bed. Per-
haps one of the best remedies is to lie in
bed all day long and take plenty of hot
gruel. A huge basin of gruel— an ordi-
nary slop-basin— is about the quantity.
This huge quantity of warm fluid tends
greatly to promote perspiration, which
assists to get rid of the cold. Gruel can
be flavoured in a variety of ways.
Brown ^ sugar, or, still better, a large
tablespoonful of treacle, can be dis-
solved in it. A very nice flavouring,
also, for gruel is sugar, lemon-peel, and
a small quantity of rum✪ Gruel. When persons
having a bad cold are ordinarily in the
habit of taking a considerable amount
of stimulant, and probably require a
certain quantity, a large jorum of hot
gruel flavoured with rum is one of the
best things they can take.
Page 114 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1880. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
to that made from ground barley or groats. In order to make barley-water properly, pearl-barley is necessary, and m making it great care should be taken to thoroughly cleanse the barley from all impurities. There are probably many persons who, at one period of their life, have been, owing to sickness, compelled to drink _ that by no , means unpleasant preparation known as barley-water, and have noticed, when it | has been poured out into a glass and I allowed to stand by the bedside, that at | the bottom of the tumbler they find a I sort of black sediment, which is simply dirt. Now when the system is in a very delicate state, and this barley is the only nourishment which patients take, this sediment is very objectionable. This sediment in barley-water is owing to the ignorance, and often to the carelessness of the cook. In making barleywater cooks should always proceed as follows : Take some pearl-barley, and wash it well in two or three waters. Then throw it into some boiling water and let it boil for five or ten minutes. Strain it through a sieve, and throw away this first water in which it was boiled. This water, of course, contains a trifling quantity of nourishment, but it is simply from the outer coating of the pearl-barley mixed with the dirt. The barley will now be thoroughly clean. Place it in a small saucepan, with some pure water, and let it simmer gently for several hours. Then strain the pearl- ; barley off, and pour the liquor into a I jug. It should be stirred up with a ! spoon before being poured out for the | patient, as the barley will settle, and I the top will be perfectly clear while the bottom will be thick. There are a variety of ways of flavouring barley water, the best being a little sugar and some Very thin strips of the rind of a t lemon — only the yellow portion of the | lemon-peel should be used. These strips | should be cut so that there is no white at all on the inner side. Of course the modes of flavouring barley-water arc almost infinite— orange peei, cinnamon, nutmeg, wine, etc., as the doctor may order. Groats are exceedingly useful for making that well-known compound, gruel, which is probably one of the best cures for that most incurable of complaints— a bad cold. There is an old ; saying, and a perfectly true one, that a i cold will always cure itself. However,
there is no harm in “assisting nature.” When gruel is taken for a cola, it is best to take it in large quantities, and also best for the patient to lie in bed. Perhaps one of the best remedies is to lie in bed all day long and take plenty of hot gruel. A huge basin of gruel— an ordinary slop-basin— is about the quantity. This huge quantity of warm fluid tends greatly to promote perspiration, which assists to get rid of the cold. Gruel can be flavoured in a variety of ways. Brown ^ sugar, or, still better, a large tablespoonful of treacle, can be dissolved in it. A very nice flavouring, also, for gruel is sugar, lemon-peel, and a small quantity of rum. When persons having a bad cold are ordinarily in the habit of taking a considerable amount of stimulant, and probably require a certain quantity, a large jorum of hot gruel flavoured with rum is one of the best things they can take.
Records on this page
GruelBarley Water