Chicory is a perennial plant that grows mainly in Eurasia. In the article you will learn more about this plant.
All about chicory
There are several varieties of chicory. Some of them are grown only for lettuce leaves: puntarelle, radicchio, endive.
Other varieties of chicory are used to make a powder that tastes like coffee.
The roots of the plant resemble parsnips in appearance. The raw root is bitter in taste.
The root is dried, crushed and roasted.
During the roasting process, inulin is converted into another substance that has a coffee aroma.
The taste of a drink made from chicory root is strong, similar to burnt sugar with nutty notes.
History of chicory root
The inhabitants of Europe and Asia drank and believed in the healing properties of chicory even before coffee appeared.
A drink made from chicory gained particular popularity in France in the 19th century. People drank an estimated 16 million pounds of chicory a year.
The popularity of coffee at that time was also due to the fact that imported coffee was more expensive than local chicory.
In the United States, chicory began to be in demand in the middle of the 20th century.
Today, chicory is considered a healthier and healthier drink than coffee.
Sometimes chicory is mixed with barley and figs.
The drink is similar to coffee in taste and aroma, but does not contain caffeine.
