Pearl Barley Risotto

My sister-in-law is a wicked cook. She is daring and resourceful which means she even goes mushroom picking and has given given me a dried bag of mushrooms. A gift like that is worth more than a one hundred dollar bill. I always look forward to having a meal at her home because I will come away with a new recipe, tip or insight. I wished she lived in my province. She is a person that likes to use recipe books so it is easy to replicate her efforts. This recipe however was written on a torn piece of lavender foolscape. I didn't know it came in that colour.

8 slices of bacon cut in small pieces
3 onions, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup pear barley
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup shredded Parmesan
thyme to taste
8 cups of chicken broth

Fry bacon until crisp. Remove it with a slotted spoon. If the bacon had a great deal of fat, remove some from the pot. On medium low heat, fry the onions, garlic and then after 10 minutes add the mushroom. Fry for 5 minutes. Add the pear barley and fry for another 5 minutes. Start to add the broth in 1/2 cup amounts, stir the mixture. When the broth is absorbed, add more. Keep doing this until all the broth has been absorbed and your armis tired from stirring. It is best to have guests in the kitchen nibbling on appetizers as you attend to the thirsty pot. When all the broth has been absorbed. Taste the risotto to ensure the barley is cooked. If it isn't find some more broth and if you do not have any, use water. Again, add in small amounts. At the end add the wine, and thyme. I add about 1 tsp dried leaves. Stir in the cheese in small amounts. When it is melted, serve. Listen to the yums.