How to Grow ‘Coffee’ at Home (Surprisingly Easy)
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 8 дек 2023
- Love your morning cup of Joe, but feel the need for a caffeine free alternative? Well, you're in luck! because it's surprisingly easy to grow your own 'coffee' (and you can often forage for it too).
in this week's episode Ben shows us exactly how to grow, roast and blend your own warming hug-in-the-mouth brew, that won't give you the jitters or keep you awake trying to count sheep!
If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at our online Garden Planner which is available from several major websites and seed suppliers:
www.GrowVeg.com
gardenplanner.almanac.com
gardenplanner.motherearthnews...
and many more...
To receive more gardening videos subscribe to our channel here: ruclips.net/user/subscription_... 
Хобби
Thank you for introducing this idea to everyone. Both chicory and dandelion are, in their various different concoctions and uses, extremely beneficial for health which is why our forebears grew those and other weeds rather than aspiring to perfectly mown grass and buying gallons of weedkiller. I am blessed with a large garden and fields so dedicating spaces to ''weeds'' is no hardship at all, and I do. My medicinal shelves are always full.
First time growing 'Chiavari' chicory this year and they've grown very well. I skinned them, sliced them as thing as I could (~2mm) and baked at 170C for 2 hours or so without dehydrating. I also went quite a bit darker than this (coffee bean colour) and I kept them as chips so they last longer too. They tasted great, much better than shop bought and plan to grow this every year. Chicory syrup is also lovely on desserts / ice cream.
Wow! Thanks for this, can’t wait to get stuck in, grow & harvest the plant & drink the results ☕️😋
Great ideas - thanks for sharing these!
These were both extremely common coffee substitutes in my country up to the 1980s! They have a negative image as a "poor man's coffee" but they're actually quite nice, as long as you don't expect them to taste exactly like coffee. Carob root and roasted acorns are also quite commonly used as coffee substitutes.
Yes, there are quite a few decent coffee substitutes. I reckon they're all due a renaissance!
I spent a year in an apothecary apprenticeship, and have two things to add here from my herbalist instructor. First, a good reason to grow chicory is that it likes kinda crappy soil, and that long taproot will suck up some pretty icky things. Second, if you're drinking dandelion anything, be aware that it has strong liver detoxifying properties that can cause nausea the first couple times if you have a heavy toxin load. Also, it is a potent diuretic. Don't drink it if you aren't going to be near a bathroom or suitable tinkle spots.
I've never personally enjoyed dandelion coffee, but I do keep a jar of roasted roots to just periodically smell. Not sure if I'm just weird, but the smell has a mood-lifting effect for me. Something I learned by accident in my starting days as a landscaper was that if you want massive dandelion roots, break the top off a few times. Like, pop the leaves off but leave the rest. The thing will come back darn near doubled in size.
Question about the chicory root - you mentioned it was good to grow bc the root sucked up icky things, can you elaborate please? I was trying to think if you meant like good nutrients or if it was bad stuff to get out of the soil. Thanks.
@@gaylekerr9826 I mean to be careful where you harvest it because it can pull up and store contaminants out of the soil that can be released during the roasting and steeping process. If you're gathering it from the wild, just keep in mind that whatever is around is likely to impact the plant. Where I live has chicory growing absolutely everywhere that has gross goings-on. The dump, the jail, the recycling places that people treat like dumps, just where the soil is disturbed and of questionable health. Growing it in pots or in the yard is extremely easy, and what was recommended to me as opposed to wild harvesting. Heavy metals are one of the main concerns.
@@froginprogress8510 Oh, golly! Thank you for the explanation! I appreciate you taking the time to clarify.
I enjoyed your post and really appreciate the suggestion for increasing the size of the root. And no, you are not weird lol.
Thanks for this. I was wondering about those things beyond its taste, like how digestible is it, whether it contains anything like caffeine, etc. Very helpful.
I drink dandelion root coffee for the health benefits. It is great for liver and immunity. I really should grow it; thanks!
It's amazing how so many 'weeds' are so good for us!
If you grow dandelions in conditioned soil, the root and leaves will be more abundant. Been eating since 1959
Dandelions were actually introduced to the Americas as an imported salad crop, and now they grow like weeds everywhere here too! My brother used to make dandelion wine 40 years ago.
Dandelion wine - what a fab idea!
Cichorium intybus, perfect pronuntiation. You are ready for latin!
Thanks so much! Gratias tibi.
Almost everyone in Southern Africa drinks a chicory/coffee blend. Really nice!
You never cease to amaze me! Great comments from subscribers too! Will defo be giving this a try. Thank you to you & your experienced subscribers for their comments…can’t wait to try this! ✌️❤️🙏
So pleased you're going to give this a try - you'll love it I'm sure. :-)
Roasted chicory root is delicious! Dandelions are also great for your liver 👍
What an informative video! I had no idea you could make these mock coffee drinks. I will definitely give this a go. Lovely kitchen by the way! Many thanks from Michigan ❤
Thanks so much. Definitely worth trying out. They are genuinely good drinking.
I knew about chicory, but I did not know about dandelions. I make dandelion tea and now I know how to make dandelion coffee. How fabulous. I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.
How do u make dandelion tea? I am thinking of trying too
@@shalmaahad6915 you can dehydrate the dandelion leafs and steep in hot water. It is very medicinal and taste good too. I also love them fresh like spinach. I add them to my eggs or salads.
@@pobo6113 great Thank-you. Is that fresh leaves without cooking or dehydrating?
@@shalmaahad6915 I dehydrate for tea, but use fresh for the others.
@@pobo6113 Thank you
Dandelions are amazing. Although considered a loathsome weed, it's seems to be one of the useful plants I can imagine. You can make wine with it, and all sorts of things.
It really is - that and nettles.
I think ‘Camp Coffee’ is made from this. I remember getting this on a scout camp as a kid and thinking I was REALLY grown-up!
Yes indeed, Camp Coffee is made from chicory root.
This was utterly fascinating!
I always combine the roots. Makes a good flavor
Thanks for your time much appreciated.
Thanks for watching. :-)
Boiled chicory greens with a bit of lemon juice makes a great vegetable as a side for a lot of food, if you'd like to not waste the greens.
What a fab idea - thanks for sharing. :-)
Wow! Thank you for the taste test.
I love chicory coffee and drink it instead of real coffee for personal health reasons. I will definitely try this 🤩🙏
What an interesting video! Thanks for showing the process from start to finish and comparing chicory and dandelion coffees.
You're most welcome - thanks for watching. :-)
Brilliant ❤
Thank you for this video - fun to watch and intriguing too. Most coffee subs have both of these ingredients- it would be interesting to mix different ratios of the two to make a perfect blend.
Yes, I reckon a blend would be good fun to try.
I was thinking this exact same thing!
How fun! I'd heard of roasted chicory but never dandelion root. I'll have to give it a try. It was good to see the whole process, thank you for that.
Thanks for watching. I really enjoyed the whole process - very satisfying.
Brilliant! I'm going to have a go at this.
Very cool!
Great video. Definitely giving this a try.
I never thought of this. I feed my chickens chicory plants and dandelion flowers and leaves.
This is so cool, thank you for sharing.😀👍
Very informative Ben,thanks so much.
Thanks for watching. :-)
I grew up drinking chicory and dandelion! Considering the effect climate change is having on coffee bean growing regions I think the more alternatives we have the better!
Agreed! :-)
Thanks for trying this! I thought about it, but did not dare. Since you tasted it first, I can give it a go. 💜
So pleased you're encouraged to try it for yourself. :-)
I love root coffee!!!
I think I’m going to give it a go.
I’m living in Costa Rica right now-the best coffee grows in the mountains.
To wash off the roots, I put them in a spaghetti strainer and blast them with the hose. I used the single stream setting and it's a bit like a power washer. If there is any soil left in the cracks, I use a little brush like an old tooth brush or something similar.
That's a great method. :-)
I am super excited! I drink chicory from Luzianne. Can't wait to try dandelion...wooo hooo! Thank you!!! I saved this to watch again and make notes. yum
I love this!! I literally have dried dandelion roots in my pantry from the spring (that I forgot about!) I’m having dandelion coffee tomorrow!
Great to hear this! I hope you enjoy the coffee. :-)
Interesting, may have to giver a try😊
Very nice video! I've been drinking both but just haven't done them myself. Maybe next year I will dig out some dandelion roots. Here dried dandelion root is also used in baking and in porridge.😊
Wow - dandelion has so many uses!
When I was a child my mother used to drink chicory or a coffee and chicory mix, It was a lot cheaper than pure coffee.
For me the other use of dandelions is for my rhuharb. I take as many of the plants from the paths around our allotments as possible and put them around my rhubarb plants. The next field has a lot of dandelions in it so we get a lot of the seeds blowing in.
What a great idea!
Is that some kind of companion planting??
I am a heavy coffee drinker and I bought chicory seeds (I’m in New Orleans so it’s only natural) and I have been interested in dandelions for a few years now and this video was very informative and helpful! Thank you so very much friend ❤
So pleased you came across this video. It was a very satisfying and genuinely tasty project. :-)
Grown and used as a coffee alternative during the 2nd world war here in UK, so I understand
Even when I was young there were coffees thinned out with chicory. But I think chicory stands well on its own too.
Love it.... never thought dandelion as a weed more a natural flower but never knew it was edible, never mind for coffee lol .... thanks for that ❤👍
It has quite a few uses. It's great when a 'weed' reveals its true value like this. :-)
A couple of years ago I started saving the dandelion roots from the dandelions I was weeding out of my garden so that I could roast them and make tea. Absolutely love it! And it's really good for you as it is said to be a good detoxer. I love chicory flowers and could use more flowers in my garden - you've convinced me to grow chicory next year!
So pleased you've been convinced to try chicory next year. :-)
LOVE this video!!! I stop drinking coffee many years ago! too much caffeine! I will definetely add CHICORY to next year garden!!
THANK YOU and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and your family
That's wonderful to hear. Happy New Year to you too! :-)
there is a tea in America called Roastaroma that blends chicory, dandelion root and roasted barley with some spices that makes lovely a lovely coffee substitute...you are right on!!
Wow - that sounds like a superb blend!
Chicory is all over the mountains here. And a Southern alternative to coffee. But I like the flavors of mixing the two, New Orleans style.
Ill have to try this and make my own. Good idea, thanks again.
So pleased you're inspired to try it. :-)
Great video! Used to drink loads of coffee but not anymore as this was clearly an unhealty dose. This would be a nice alternative to the store bought chicory coffee.
Absolutely! :-)
So beautiful there
0:41 most British weather ever
Haha - so true!
That's funny, dandelions are called Löwenzahn in Germany and it means Lionstooth. Nice Video! Will try some of this.
That's fab to hear, thanks for sharing that. Definitely try some! :-)
Wow! I had no idea. Now I can hardly wait for the spring dandelions! (after the bees have had at them) 🐝
Yes, great idea to let the bees have their fill first. :-)
Cool video 😊
I Looooooovvvvvveeeee my coffee…but with the price of it (like everything else) going up, it’s so great to know that I’ve got potential coffee growing in my own backyard!!!
Thank you again for a great video!!
Absolutely! :-)
nice!!!!
Great! Thanks a lot :)
Enjoyed the new camera takes. Great video!
Thanks so much. :-)
Wow! I want to try this dandelion coffee and taste test it myself. Who knows if I will like it? Thank you for sharing this experiment! That is very interesting! ❤️
So pleased you found this interesting. Definitely try the dandelion coffee - it's jolly good!
I'm intrigued to know how they smell. I worked in coffee factory despite being allergic to them, always swooned by the lovely smell of roasting coffee
They have a kind of chocolatey/rooty smell - especially the dandelion. I love the smell of 'proper' coffee best though!
Chicory was a Confederate alternative during the American Civil War. Britain and France tried hard to break the Federal naval blockade for the duration. Effective resupply of armaments was sporadic but coffee was not on the urgent list. Chicory was embraced and the pleasant result had lasting impressions. Blends also are not half bad at all.
Interesting to hear that history, thanks for sharing this. :-)
thank you for this video. i just found out that caffeine makes me sick, needed something that could wake me up ready for work lol...the caffeine teas i buy are quite expensive for very little bags... so, gracias :)
Chicory is very common in the low country (Charleston SC) and you're right not a bad substitute for coffee. Although the dandelion, I've not tried, but it sounds yummy. Thanks for sharing
It really is, I promise! :-)
i made 'coffee' a month ago using honey locust beans, it tastes very nice, rich, a little sweet, maybe somewhat like chickory.
most people don't know about honey locust beans, so, you can probably still find a bunch under any decent sized honey locust tree.
takes a bit of effort to remove the beans from the pods, roast and grind them, but worth it, imho.
What a fab idea! :-)
Have to get this Idea up and running. Coffee is getting so pricey! Thanks for the tip!
Chicory is a beautiful plant. It appeared down the lane where I live, the year after I grew it.
It is a real beauty. :-)
My mother grew both and did as you showed in this video. And mixed them. I think it was 1/3chicory 1/3 dandelions. Very good. 1/3 coffee
Great to hear that they mix so well. :-)
I have to try that combo. I need to cut back on caffeine and cut back my budget too!
There was no like button. I accidently hit the thumbs down. Great video.
Thanks for watching! :-)
I have become anaphylactic to coffee and miss it so much. I really want to try these substitutes now!
Give them a go - I really enjoy them. :-)
♥️Thx .. but the work .. USA Southerners always drank chicory instead of coffee ,)!
also love dandelions salads
I've lived my whole life in Atlanta, Georgia, and that's not true. Only very poor people who couldn't afford coffee drank chicory, outside of Southern Louisiana where it is a local specialty. I think even there, it is most often drunk half and half with real coffee. Now that there are cheap brands of coffee, poor people only drink it out of tradition. These days it is not easy to find chicory in ordinary grocery stores, although it may be more common out in the country where people still remember it. It's mostly considered to be either a foodie specialty item, or a non caffeine health food.
I really rate it as a drink in its own right. Lovely depth of flavour and a welcome change to other caffeine-free hot drinks.
Killed coffee plants twice now🤦🏻♂️ Think our summers are too hot. We love chicory in the New Orleans area, might as well try growing it.
Please do - it's easy to grow and the 'coffee' really does taste amazing!
I have tried this in the DANDY BLEND. It's good, but as it says on the package it will stain your teeth. I added plant milk, but it still did.
I drink dandy blend every day. So far no issues with staining 🤞🏼
Thanks for the warning.
All coffee or tea will eventually stain your teeth. I drink coffee with a small straw, it helps prevent stains.
I have been drinking black coffee everyday since I was 13. I definitely have stained my teeth drinking coffee
Yeah, it stains mine as well. I have to brush with activated charcoal once a week.
Howdy Ben! Another super video!👍The coffee substitute I purchase has both chicory and dandelion in it. I really enjoy it. It also has some other tasty naturals.
I've been meaning to grow chicory since you mentioned it as a coffee substitute in one of your other videos.
I'm going to give the dandelion a try first...we are still seeing upper 70s in Central Texas. We have dandelions everywhere.😃
Great to have so many dandelions - they're so useful. Definitely worth harvesting some to turn into a lovely warming brew. :-)
At my family cabin up in the Puget Sound of Washington State, I frequently saw what I identified as Chickory! Now I'm eager to harvest some - I'll have to bring my weed pulling fork with me though!!!
Definitely worth doing! :-)
Ladies, a word of caution on Chikory. Chikory can encourage menstruation as it somehow affects our hormones.
Crazy stuff
Oh no. Chickory root 'coffee' is giving me 1970s hippy flashbacks 😳
Haha - indeed! But sooo good I promise!
@@GrowVeg nope. Not for me
`chickory is also love by mice or voles or what not ate them all on my allotment, left nice round holes like in a Bugs Bunny cartoon ;-) i grew them for the pretty flowers and they usually come in wildflower mixes
Is nothing sacred from those pesky mice?!
I've used the commercial ground chicory coffee substitute which dissolves. It's ok but a bit too burnt in flavor. I would definitely like to give both of these homemade types a go!
They are really top-notch. I was surprised how really rather good they are.
I don't know if you've been to New Orleans in the US. Cafe DuMond is famous for its chickory coffee combo. Truly wonderful!
Not yet! But someone else has recommended the Cafe Du Mond, so would love to try that at some point.
They belong TOGETHER, to taste more like the real thing!
(Mix about 50/50)
Chickory roots easily grow to 3 or 4' in length (90-120cm) DON'T break them off as short as you did, hahaha, you'll waist 70 or 80%
In Germany this (the combi of both roots) used to be known as kid's coffee (no caffeine)
Dandelion is good for a liver detox and Chickory is good for stomach upsets, and both are high in potassium, a nutrient almost nobody gets sufficient quantities of from food.
Enjoy, ssslurrrrp 😁
Great advice there, thank you so much. 😀
Seems chicory grows here in 6b so will definitely be giving this a go. Thanks for the tips.
Glad you put 'coffee' in quotes as chicory coffee has a coffee-like taste but contains no caffeine.
Absolutely. Definitely needs the quote marks! :-)
I read somewhere that during the Occupation in Guernsey in WW2 they used parsnips to make "coffee" in a similar way. In the early years it was just to add to their existing rations of coffee but by the end they had very little coffee left and many people were using parsnips alone! I've not yet been brave enough to try it 😂
Oh wow - that is quite something. I'd quite like to try that myself. I suspect it won't be the best-tasting coffee though! But curious to give it a try.
It’s funny that so many people think tea is caffeine free.
Here in New Orleans, we still mix chicory into coffee and you can buy it at the grocery or order it at places like Cafe du Monde. I believe it's a holdover from the Civil War blockade when they couldn't get real coffee.
Yes, I've heard the same. Great you're still able to find it. :-)
I LOVE the taste of Chicory.
I LOVE the taste of Dandelion Roots!
I still need the Covfefe, it is my Meth of choice, the only addiction besides food and oxygen I tolerate.
And Braddah? Dandelions be mo' bettah fo wine.
Yes, I've head of dandelion wine also - well worth a try.
@@GrowVeg Jelly is also very sweet, too!
My dad told us about chicory coffee used in the last war.
So I'm going to do this project so I'm ready for the next war.
Always worth having these sorts of skills to hand!
I read of caffeine studies reporting that tea has more caffeine than coffee. My grandmother used chicory coffee in milk for the grandkids. It was a favorite of mine. Never thought of making rmy own until now. "Leaves" are plural and "are" edible. Leaves is, is not correct. A leaf "is", whatever. Thankyou for this vlog.
Definitely give home-made chicory coffee a try if you're able - it's lovely stuff! :-)
Good morning Nigel, what a brilliant video, I am truly amazed. I do not drink coffee at all, unless I go with a friend which is not very often then we will enjoy a cappuccino, only one of course, but at home, no way. I buy good quality instant coffees, we do have a percolator and that is not too bad but it is made very seldom, thank goodness. I do enjoy coffee from the very expensive coffee machines and that is as far as it goes. Perhaps I should give the chicory and dandelion coffee a try, I probably would enjoy that very much. You have taught us well today, something exceptional. Thank you for sharing and showing the process. I had to laugh at the comment when the person mentioned wine was made, well it just goes to show. Have a great day, many blessings.
Thank you for your kind comments. I do think this is a project definitely worth trying - a very satisfying process with a genuinely tasty result!
The French name for Dandelion has always amused me because of it's bluntness: 'Pissenlit', which alludes to the plant's diuretic properties - 'piss-a-bed'. You would have to eat several kilos of the plant to have any serious effect, though.
I do like eating Dandelions - they're quite refreshingly bitter, and great mixed in with other salad leaves. My favourite way of eating them, is the French dish, 'Pissenlit au Lard' which is simply bacon, fried quite crisp, and served over shredded Dandelion leaves (remove the mid ribs from the leaves), and is dressed with the fat and scrapings from the bacon pan. It's simple, and stupidly good. Not every day, though. Once a month, in spring and summer, does me fine.
I never knew they were called that in French - that's a fantastic name!
The original “Camp’ coffee was made from these.
i grew chicory this year for this purpose but my roots weren't very substantial so abandoned roasting.
There's a brand of coffee here called Cafe Du Monde that's a blend of coffee and chicory. I have a friend from New Orleans who says it's very popular in the South (although it's widely available now, even from the Zon) Still never occurred to me to try this!
I visited New Orleans many years ago and since then I've been craving Cafe Du Monde - it's a wonderful mix.
Do give it a try. It tastes great!
Really enjoyed your video. Have you ever tried to make yopon coffee? I'm curious how that tastes.
I haven't tried that yet - a future project perhaps!
The foodie in me would have mix them together. Who knows maybe they would complement each other.
That's not a bad idea! :-)
I have made dandelion "coffee" before. Indeed theres some roots in the fridge waiting to be converted, but i cant help feeling that all the effort and energy is worth the amount you get. Nice experiment though.
If you can get lots of roots and process them in one go, it's definitely worth it.
Still love my actual coffee, but I make a blend of chicory, dandelion root, milk thistle, and shiitake mushroom powder and add it to my coffee every morning. It's great for the liver and kidneys, and adds a richness that I'm kind of addicted to, honestly...
For those who are interested, the recipe is rather simple: the blend is one part each chicory, dandelion, milk thistle, and mushroom powder; then I add 1 part blend to 2 parts coffee. The chicory and dandelion are roasted just as the video shows, and all items in the blend are ground.
What a superb blend - I bet that does you the world of good! :-)
I have chicory seeds I need to plant. I didn't realize the chicories weren't interchangeable.
If you have yaupon holly it has a small amount of caffeine in the leaves. I know it's in my part of the States but I'm not sure if it grows naturally elsewhere.
It's considered a trash tree here but it can be pruned into a bush.
Just don't eat the berries.
I like adding the leaves to other teas after I've lightly roasted them. It's not necessary to roast them. I'll have to try adding them when I get my chicory " coffee". They don't taste like coffee on their own.
Here in Texas we have our own dandelion that's different than the others that grow in the States. Just a little garden nerdiness for anyone interested 😊
What does yaupon tea taste like?
@@bmiles4131 to me, it's not as strong as black tea.
It's kinda like tea but different lol
Sorry I can't be of more help. I think if you like iced tea you would like it.
Interesting - have never heard of yaupon. Thanks for sharing this. :-)
A link to that dehydrator wud be good, even a nice discount wud be appreciated.
I don't have any discount or anything like that - we're not sponsored by them. But the make of dehydrator I have in an Excalibur.
I'm excited to harvest my dandelions next year and grow my own chicory now. Thank you! What is the coffee contraption you were using? I've never seen anything like it.
Thank you for watching. :-) The device is called an Aeropress: aeropress.com/