Our Southern ancestors enjoyed coffee and tea but found themselves totally without during the Civil War blockades. We read about these struggles, fully aware of the caffeine withdrawal headaches they must have suffered. Many substitutes were tried and we’ve tried them all. These people were tough; we can be tough too…right? Wrong. Roasted acorn coffee had to be the nastiest thing known to man; barley coffee was not worth the trouble and chicory root coffee? So bad...so bad. How’d they do it?
We grow chicory. It’s a beautiful plant with sky blue, daisy-like flowers. Forty years ago it lined the highway going into Asheville, NC. Chicory will grow in most any soil but is even more beautiful in good garden soil.
Many grow chicory for the leaves, sometimes called Belgian Endive or for the blanched growing tips called chicons. The chicon is grown completely underground or indoors in the absence of sunlight in order to prevent the leaves from turning green or opening up. The plant has to be kept just below the soil surface as it grows, only showing the very tip of the leaves. The tender leaves are slightly bitter; the whiter the leaf, the less bitter the taste. This underground growing is way too much trouble for us, we enjoy the young leaves in a salad.
Seems chicory has caused trouble in the past…In 1809 Congress was upset with President Jefferson when it was revealed that he was communicating with the much distrusted British Government. Note this was only 3 years before the War of 1812. Further investigation revealed that communication with the Royal Agriculture Ministry was for the nonpolitical purpose of securing chicory seed for his old friend George Washington. The Congressional Record doesn’t state whether George wanted to grow chicory for a salad or for coffee. We’d advise him to go for the salad.
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