Faubourg Chicory with Milk
A dark, bitter infusion of roasted chicory root, sweetened with a little hot milk. The poor man's coffee, robust and warming.
A dark, bitter infusion of roasted chicory root, sweetened with a little hot milk. The poor man's coffee, robust and warming.
You find it bitter? That's because it tastes of our condition. Real coffee, you see, was left for the rich; we roasted chicory root and stretched it with a splash of milk when we had any. I drank whole bowls of it at night, correcting my exercise books or writing my battle letters. This black drink does not lie and flatters no one—it wakes you up, and that's all we ask of it.
- •Roasted and ground chicory root — a spoonful (bitter infusion)
- •Boiling water — a bowl (extraction)
- •Milk — a splash, if available (sweetener)
Faubourg Chicory with Milk
A dark, bitter infusion of roasted chicory root, sweetened with a little hot milk. The poor man's coffee, robust and warming.
Why this dish? Since real coffee was too expensive for workers' purses—and unavailable during the Siege of 1870—Parisians of the faubourgs, like Louise Michel, drank chicory, a roasted root diluted with milk. It was the beverage of militant nights and school mornings.
You find it bitter? That's because it tastes of our condition. Real coffee, you see, was left for the rich; we roasted chicory root and stretched it with a splash of milk when we had any. I drank whole bowls of it at night, correcting my exercise books or writing my battle letters. This black drink does not lie and flatters no one—it wakes you up, and that's all we ask of it.
Ingredients (period version)
- Roasted and ground chicory root — a spoonful (bitter infusion)
- Boiling water — a bowl (extraction)
- Milk — a splash, if available (sweetener)
Ingredients
- Instant chicory (or ground roasted root) — 2 teaspoons (bitter infusion)
- Simmering water — 250 ml (extraction)
- Hot milk — 100 ml (sweetener)
- Sugar (optional) — to taste (roundness)
Method
- Pour simmering water over the chicory and let steep for 3 to 5 minutes (or dissolve instant chicory).
- Strain if using ground root.
- Heat the milk without boiling.
- Combine the chicory and milk in a large bowl, sweeten or not.
- Drink piping hot, holding the bowl with both hands.
How it was made : The cultivation and roasting of chicory exploded in the 19th century in northern France, precisely because it replaced imported coffee, which was expensive and taxed. During the Siege of Paris (1870-1871), it became one of the few accessible warm comforts.
The contemporary twist : Served as a frothed latte with milk foam: the austere chicory of the barricades enjoys a second youth at the counter.
Louise Michel · Charactorium
