Barley is a grain that has been one of humanity's most important crops for over 10,000 years. It looks similar to wheat, with long stalks topped by seed heads, but barley's seeds have longer, more prominent bristles called awns that stick out like whiskers.

Farmers grow barley across the world because it's remarkably tough: it can survive in cold climates where other grains struggle, and it needs less water than wheat or corn. This hardiness made it crucial for ancient civilizations in places like Mesopotamia and Egypt, where it became a dietary staple and was even used as money.

Today, most barley gets used to feed livestock or to make beer. The malting process, where barley grains are allowed to sprout and then dried, creates the malt that gives beer its distinctive flavor. You've probably eaten barley too: it appears in soups and stews as pearl barley, small round grains that become soft and chewy when cooked. Barley soup with vegetables and beef makes a hearty, filling meal.

When someone describes a small measurement as “three barleycorns long,” they're using an old unit of measurement based on the length of a single grain of barley, about one-third of an inch.