When you can't Get Coffee-Find some Chicory

Chicory is a very useful weed. I think it is best known for the flavor of its root. The leaves are also edible though as long as the plant has not stemmed yet. After that point they are pretty bitter. The root is the best part of the plant. To prepare to make chicory "coffee" you first need to peel the root. After it is peeled then dry it and roast it at a low temperature (about 200 degrees) to a deep coffee brown color. Then grind it up and prepare just as you would regular coffee. It has a bit of a different flavor, but is about as close as you can get without actually having coffee. Some people prefer it to coffee and some like to mix it with coffee. You might want to start out mixing it with coffee to get used to the taste. I personally love the taste of chicory.