Chicory coffee

[okra]

Our chicory has gone to seed and has produced lovely light blue flowers. They stand out not only because of their unusual colour but also because they are held aloft on stems that are about a metre high.

I think we will let them produce seed to collect and then we might try to make some caffeine free coffee substitute from the roots.

Apparently the roots are washed thoroughly, chopped and roasted at 180c for between 45 minutes and an hour whilst stirring occasionally. The roots are ready when there colour changes to darkish brown and become brittle but fragrant.

Once cooled, the roots are ground in a blender to the size of coffee granules and are used like any other beverage, using one teaspoon per cup of water.

 

[framing fowl]

Let us know how it turns out! I love to drink chicory coffee but have never made my own.

 

[calendula]

I'd like to know how it turns out too. If you think it's worthwhile, I might plant a little chicory next year. I have already dried the roots of dandelion similarly, so I thought I could mix the two, maybe add some other herbs as well, and have a nice herbal "coffee."

 

[Marianne]

Chicory must be an aquired taste. I have a friend from New Orleans that grew up with it. I've had it at her house, but it had plenty of milk and sugar in it, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten it down. She calls my brew Kansas Coffee. Just Folgers.

I have some roasted dandelion root on the shelf, too!

 

[calendula]

Marianne, would you say that chicory is very bitter? I've never actually tried it before. I had heard that it is very similar to dandelion, which I don't mind.

Kansas Coffee that's cute. I like Folger's too. I don't think I could ever completely give up real coffee, but I will occasionally drink a substitute.

 

[Marianne]

I thought it was a little bitter, maybe just strong tasting. Been a while since I had it as my friend moved to OK City....oh, I just noticed that I can't spell, too. Acquired. I was pretty tired last night!

 

[framing fowl]

I'd say that if you like the taste of roasted dandelion root, you would like chicory.

 

[Leta]

New Orleans coffee is the real stuff, blended with roasted chicory root. It's good. To get my minimum amount of caffeine, however, I have to drink twice as much.

Not a chore, though, I love coffee. Iced or hot, mmmm.

 

[stepstephens2]

Ok, I'm confused now... I have plants growing from seeds I bought that were labeled Dandelion Chicory. It's two different things?

 

[calendula]

Dandelions and chicory both belong to the same family of plants, but yes they are different plants. But maybe you have a variety of chicory called dandelion chicory, similar to this?

http://www.azuredandelion.com/heirloom-italiko-rosso-dandelion-chicory-vegetable-seed-369.html