A Simple Recipe for Barley Water From Medieval France

Max MillerofTasting Historyprepareda Medieval recipe for barley water from France, making what is essentially a strong, sweetened herbal tea. As it was brewing, Miller discussed the myth about whether or not people in the Middle Ages drank alcohol because they didn't actually have clean water to drink.

The myth persists that everyone was drunk in the Middle Ages because no one drank water, only alcohol. While many people preferred to drink ale, wine, or mead, people drank water all the time. Having a source of fresh, clean water was the basis of the location of many cities and towns.

Miller also spoke about a fundraiser he is participating in for WaterAid to provide clean, safe water for those around the world who do not have access to it. It was this project that inspired him to make the barley water recipe.

Clean water isn't just an issue of the past, either. Today, 1 in 10 people don't have access to clean water. For the month of August, I'm joining thousands of creators across the internet to form Team Water with the goal of raising $40 million to supply 2 million people with clean water which will flow for decades.

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