Chicory Coffee
Chicory coffee is a rich, dark, and nutty beverage made by roasting, grinding, and brewing the taproot of the chicory plant. It can be enjoyed on its own as a caffeine-free alternative or blended with regular coffee to mellow the bitterness and lower overall caffeine intake.
Ingredients
What you need:
- Loose chicory or chicory-dandelion blend available from most health food retailers and online
- A teapot and strainer or any method you would normally use to brew coffee or tea
Instructions
- I used a simple teapot and strainer for mine. Add roughly one to two teaspoons of the loose chicory-dandelion blend per cup of water, depending on how strong you like it. Pour over water just off the boil, around 200°F, and let it steep for 5 to 7 minutes. Strain into your cup.
- The genuinely good news is that loose chicory can be brewed using essentially any method you already use for coffee or tea. A French press, a standard drip coffee maker, a pour-over, or even a simple steep-and-strain method like the teapot approach I used will all work. There is no special equipment required.
Video
Notes
- If you want the most historically accurate Civil War-era version, roast raw chicory root pieces in a dry pan over low heat until dark brown and fragrant, then grind coarsely before brewing.
- For the closest approximation to what was served in New Orleans during and after the Civil War, brew a 50/50 blend of real coffee and chicory rather than pure chicory. This is also the modern New Orleans café au lait standard.