Chicory

FLAVOUR FROM NATURE

Cichorium intybus

The flowers of this apparently common-or-garden plant - which thrives in the impoverished condi-tions along field paths - cover the summer in blue. Nonetheless, it is the chicory’s root, rather than its flowers, that has attracted man’s interest and attention. The beneficent properties of this plant have been well known since ancient times, indeed the Egyptians were using it in their medicine some six thousand years ago. However, chicory gained a whole new significance when several centuries ago people started to extract a beverage from its desiccated roasted roots; the pleasant fragrance and mild bitter taste of this drink was reminiscent of coffee.