"cafe du monde" news and stories

Spring rains got you down? Need a little extra oomph in your coffee, but without all the frou-frou vanilla or hazelnut syrup? Maybe it's time for some dark-as-night, rich chicory coffee -- that should cut right through those low-hanging clouds.

Chicory, a member of the endive family (I know, right?), has long been used as an additive or even a substitute for coffee. When baked or cooked, the chicory's roots take on a dark-chocolaty bitterness not unlike darker-roasted coffee -- very handy during hard times like the Great Depression, when coffee was an out-of-reach luxury for many Americans. Although it isn't caffeinated, chicory's roots (and edible leaves) can be potent enough to snap unsuspecting taste buds to attention, and because the roasted root is more water soluble than ground coffee beans, the resulting brew tends to be quite a bit thicker than your average cup of joe.

How do you make chicory coffee? Read on after the jump to find out.

Earlier this week, I mentioned that I was doing some frying at breakfast, since I wanted something sweet that didn't involve using the oven. I ended up making beignets. Beignets are made from a yeasted dough that is deep fried and covered, usually, with powdered sugar (although savory versions exist). They are similar to doughnuts, but are almost always cut into small squares and lack the center hole that practically defines a doughnut. New Orleans is famous for its beignets and making them at home is almost as good as hopping on a plane and heading to Cafe du Monde to pick up some fresh ones, served with a cup of coffee with chicory on the side. You can try the recipe yourself, or stick to your summertime diet and just feast on food porn here.

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