Coffee consumption in Australia is on the rise but not just in the way that we know it. Cold brews and spicy lattes are on offer alongside the humble cappuccino. Trailing just behind is tea and herbal infusions which are reincarnating into glorious new forms. Tea lattes, perfectly timed brews and herbal tea blends, normally found in a herbalists apothecary, are gracing our menus.
One ingredient that interests me most is Dandelion, a herb that’s been used by herbalists for eons, can be made into a coffee or tea and is offered in various forms.
Have you been enjoying a dandy latte or a dandy chai? What about a caffeine free dandelion coffee?
Dandelion is a common pesky weed found in our front lawns or growing in the cracks of foot paths. It has a recognizable yellow flower head that turns into round balls of silver tufted fruits or puffs. The leaves and roots are used in herbal medicine. The are both an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. The leaves may be consumed raw in salads or sautéed with other greens or the dried leaves are taken in a tea form. The leaves act as a diuretic making them an excellent urinary cleanser. The dried raw root, consumed as a tea, is used as a bowel cleanser for constipation, it’s a bitter aid for poor digestion and absorption of nutrients and it stimulates the release of bile in order to help emulsify fats.
How did the pesky weed end up as a hot drink?
Well someone at some point thought it was a good idea to roast the root. And they were right! After harvesting, the dandelion roots are dried, chopped, and roasted. They are then ground into granules which are steeped in boiling water to produce dandelion coffee. It looks and smells like coffee and tastes like it too though not as strong and less acidic. In the late 19th century it was sold as a cheap coffee alternative. These days, dandelion coffee is revered for it’s health properties and because it’s caffeine free.
As you would make a plunger coffee, simply use 1 teaspoon of the roasted dandelion root or dandelion coffee per 1 cup of boiling water. Brew for 3-5 minutes. Drink as is or turn it into a dandelion cappuccino, latte, mocha etc. Instead of tea leaves, dandelion coffee may be used as base for a chai tea.
How to buy good dandelion coffee and other tips?
– The roasted root offers the same health benefits as raw dandelion root.
– Buy those that are sugar, grain and additive free and organic for a clean, chemical free brew.
– The addition of roasted chicory gives it a sweeter flavour and offers more digestive health benefits.
– Drink with cold organic full cream milk or try with fresh almond or coconut milk.
– It’s delicious with cinnamon sprinkles or steeped with a cinnamon quill.
For dandelion coffee and other hot drink recipes click here
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