Coffee with chicory in it

[Bacchus]

I'm curious about coffee with chicory in it. I've tasted it only once, to the best of my recollection and that was back in August of 1958 on my way through Louisiana. As I recall, it was bitter as gall and no amount of sugar would help it.

A lot of changes have occurred to my taste buds since then and I'd like to taste it again to see if my buds have learned anything. Unfortunately, the only coffee Ive been able to find locally that has chicory in it is a brand called French Market. And I'm afraid it'll be one of those that was ground and packaged six months ago.

Does anyone have any suggestion about how I might find some that's reasonably fresh and I won't need a second mortgage to try? Thanks in advance....

 

[Mr.Peaberry]

I understand the curiosity. I was curious about it too at one time. I don't think freshness is going to substantially change the experience of it. You kind of have to grow up drinking chicory coffee to develop a taste for it. It is just a guess, but I would assume that the number of converts away from chicory far exceed those attracted to it. Imagine blending Sanka in with your coffee....

 

[Bacchus]

I understand the curiosity. I was curious about it too at one time. I don't think freshness is going to substantially change the experience of it. You kind of have to grow up drinking chicory coffee to develop a taste for it. It is just a guess, but I would assume that the number of converts away from chicory far exceed those attracted to it. Imagine blending Sanka in with your coffee....

Ya know, now that you mention it, Mr. P, I don't believe I've ever tasted Sanka, either. Guess I've led a sheltered life.

 

[Mr.Peaberry]

Ya know, now that you mention it, Mr. P, I don't believe I've ever tasted Sanka, either. Guess I've led a sheltered life.

Man...you haven't L.I.V.E.D. until you've had Sanka....just sayin'!!

 

[PinkRose]

A lot of changes have occurred to my taste buds since then and I'd like to taste it again to see if my buds have learned anything.

Hi Bacchus,

I wonder if we have any Coffee Forum members in Louisiana who would be willing to mail you some coffee with chickory in it.

It's possible that, considering your experience with real coffee over the years, your taste buds probably have changed so much that you would totally not like the taste of chickory in the coffee. You didn't like it the first time, and you probably won't like it now.

Hummmm.... I'm not sure what smoking all those cigars has done to your taste buds, though. Lots of people who stop smoking claim that food tastes so much better now.

 

[JumpinJakJava]

I was told by an old timer years ago that the adding of chicory was simply a filler. I never questioned that. But perhaps it is added for a different taste in coffee, like cardamom. I have not ever tried coffee with chicory. I have to chuckle though about the Sanka comments, just thinking about it, I can remember the taste. Perhaps they should've freeze dried chicory and added it in,sure would've been a taste improvement. Bacchus, 1958 may have been the year of bitterness and gall, I came into the world. LOL!

 

[Bacchus]

Hi Bacchus,

I wonder if we have any Coffee Forum members in Louisiana who would be willing to mail you some coffee with chickory in it.

It's possible that, considering your experience with real coffee over the years, your taste buds probably have changed so much that you would totally not like the taste of chickory in the coffee. You didn't like it the first time, and you probably won't like it now.

Hummmm.... I'm not sure what smoking all those cigars has done to your taste buds, though. Lots of people who stop smoking claim that food tastes so much better now.

The cigars I smoke have a minuscule amount of effect, if any, on my taste buds when compared to the damage done to them by chemotherapy. Prior to my surgery, the ol' buds functioned perfectly. So perfect, in fact, that eating was one of my favorite pastimes. After chemo and surgery my taste buds functioned almost as well as normal with the exception of coffee. I couldn't taste coffee.

With the help of peterjschmidt, I've been re-training my taste buds to recognize and appreciate once again the flavor of coffee. When I first began this program I could brew double-strength espresso and couldn't taste it. And at the same time, food tasted as it always had. The bottom line is that chemo does some really strange things to the human body.

 

[Bacchus]

I was told by an old timer years ago that the adding of chicory was simply a filler. I never questioned that. But perhaps it is added for a different taste in coffee, like cardamom. I have not ever tried coffee with chicory. I have to chuckle though about the Sanka comments, just thinking about it, I can remember the taste. Perhaps they should've freeze dried chicory and added it in,sure would've been a taste improvement. Bacchus, 1958 may have been the year of bitterness and gall, I came into the world. LOL!

In August of 1958, my wife and I were on our way to Florida from California. We were running low on money and elected to drive through the night rather than spend money for a room. Sometime in the wee hours I spotted a coffee shop in Louisiana that was open so my wife went in to get us a couple cups. I'm convinced that when they heard her non-southern accent they made sure to give her the local coffee with the chicory in it. They probably got a lot of laughs at those dumb foreigners trying to drink their coffee.

 

[Mr.Peaberry]

Was at a CP World Market today. Guess what? Chicory coffee! I get the reason for chicory in the first place, but bad coffee is bad coffee...apologies to our Cajun/Creole members. They even had decaf. Now I would entertain drinking chicory coffee to satisfy my curiosity. I would even drink chicory coffee as a means of caffeine delivery...but decaf chicory coffee? Now that simply makes no sense unless you really enjoy peeing...

 

[topher]

The link below has it for $6.99. When I first got into coffee the shop I worked at sold it for $1.99 a lb. I had a customer that would buy 2 lbs at a time. He explained that he used it during the great depression to cut the coffee. He got to the point that he drank straight chicory ......yuck!
https://nuts.com/cookingbaking/herbsspices/chicory.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&scid=scplp2861469&gclid=CJiq-4GH8soCFUJbhgodoPIPYw

 

[wscafe]

First thing to say, chicory is listed as coffee substitute and has a noticeable market. As far as I know, Cafe Du Monde, Lees Coffee (a Vietnamese coffee brand in the US) do add some percentage of chicory inside. It is believed that chicory will contribute bold/ strong taste to those who prefer it. But, I think the main reason is that local coffee roasters want to decrease their price by adding chicory in. With the same way, local Vietnamese coffee roasters add soya beans inside their coffee.