Resembling coffee, chicory can be roasted, grounded, and brewed while maintaining a bitter but woody and nutty coffee-like taste. This coffee alternative became popular in New Orleans during the Civil War when there was a coffee shortage, due to blockaded ports. Being the second ...Resembling coffee, chicory can be roasted, grounded, and brewed while maintaining a bitter but woody and nutty coffee-like taste.
This coffee alternative became popular in New Orleans during the Civil War when there was a coffee shortage, due to blockaded ports. Being the second largest coffee port at the time, local coffee addicts were desperate for an alternative. Following previous French practices, New Orleans locals turned to chicory to help satisfy their coffee cravings and make their limited coffee supply outlast the blockade.
Because chicory is used variously, locals could drink it on its own or mix it in with their coffee as a flavor complement. Today, chicory serves as a caffeine-free alternative to coffee and can still be found in various hot drinks throughout New Orleans.