Trying Chicory - New Orlean's Style Coffee

You might have heard about "chicory" especially when you visit Southern US.  I first tried chicory in New Orleans where chicory coffee is famous for.  Chicory is quite a delicacy that goes well and along with coffee.

Picture from Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans, where they are famous for their chicory coffee

Chicory is herbaceous plant with bright blue flowers originated in Europe and common in North America and Australia.  The roots of the plant is baked, ground and used to drink as coffee substitute or mixed with coffee.  (My personal preference is to mix with coffee.) Chicory is consumed with coffee in Mediterranean, India and Southeast Asia and very commonly in Southern US and New Orleans.   In history, chicory was substitute for coffee in prison in the US; during civil war, coffee was cut off the port of New Orleans which created the tradition. Sad history aside, now New Orleans’s style coffee is very popular and quite a delicacy.  I love their style coffee, and here is my attempt to try out their style coffee at home.

You have probably seen a can of Café Du Monde Coffee mix in some grocery store (Southeast Asian grocery shop tends to have this very often). Café Du Monde is famous for their beignets and the coffee and chicory.   The picture above is my picture of their beignets and chicory coffee when I visited New Orleans.  (Oh boy, it was good!)

Cafe Du Monde mix sold at Japanese Grocery Store Uwajimaya in Beaverton, OR

I thought of trying out Chicory at home to see if I can recreate the New Orleans drink at home. There are some chicory available through Amazon but what I tried was Orleans Coffee's 100% French Chicory directly shipped from New Orleans.  Here are pictures of un-boxing Orleans Coffee's 100% French Chicory.    The one I got was 1 lbs bag; with shipping it costs me $15.45.

The ordinarily box shipped via FedEx

Packed with paper packing

Here is how it looks.  It looks pretty good

Backside doesn't have any writings

Comes with one way valve which is always nice.

Opening the package

Here is how it looks.  I am already enjoying the aroma

When I ordered online, I asked them if they can ship chicory without grinding them, but they did not do that; that is ok.

Chicory is supposed to be brewed with coffee rather than roasting together.  What I tried was to boil milk with chicory and coffee (like Café au lait style).  I first tried with couple of spoons, and it was too much and become very spicy.  After few attempts, I found out that that about half of tea spoon of chicory with one cup of milk and coffee is what I liked.  This way, the coffee is dominant flavor with just a hint of spiciness from chicory.

My attempt was surely a success. I am enjoying my New Orleans style coffee at home with vivid image in my mind of streets of New Orleans.

Picture of New Orleans morning