Barley Tea – Mugicha
When the weather gets warm, I crave mugicha (roasted barley tea). It is often served cold and is a refreshing summer drink in Japan. It is probably similar to ice tea in North America, but mugicha is not usually sweetened. When I was a child, a big jar of mugicha, made by my mom, was always in the fridge. When I saw the jar of mugicha, I felt summer had arrived. I still like drinking mugicha in the summer. Studies show it may help to reduce stress, which is also good news for me.