flipChicory Coffee of Hard Times
Chicory Coffee of Hard Times
Why this dish? During the war and Occupation, real coffee was scarce; it was replaced by roasted chicory, the poor person's bitter drink. For Simone Weil, who rationed her own food to the point of exhaustion out of solidarity with occupied France, this bitter ersatz was the exact drink of affliction she wanted to share.
A dark, bitter infusion of roasted chicory root, drunk very hot to warm the body and fool the stomach. The "coffee" of those who have no coffee.
Real coffee, we no longer had any; so we heated this black chicory that has only its color and bitterness. Do not grimace: there is in this harsh taste a truth that sugar always conceals. I drank it without anything, or barely a drop of milk, thinking of all those who, that morning, did not even have that to warm their hands. Drink it scalding, and hold the bowl in both palms; it is already a consolation.
- •Roasted and ground chicory root — 1 spoonful (bitter base)
- •Boiling water — a bowl (infusion)
- •Milk — a splash (if available) (to soften, rare)
Chicory Coffee of Hard Times
A dark, bitter infusion of roasted chicory root, drunk very hot to warm the body and fool the stomach. The "coffee" of those who have no coffee.
Why this dish? During the war and Occupation, real coffee was scarce; it was replaced by roasted chicory, the poor person's bitter drink. For Simone Weil, who rationed her own food to the point of exhaustion out of solidarity with occupied France, this bitter ersatz was the exact drink of affliction she wanted to share.
Real coffee, we no longer had any; so we heated this black chicory that has only its color and bitterness. Do not grimace: there is in this harsh taste a truth that sugar always conceals. I drank it without anything, or barely a drop of milk, thinking of all those who, that morning, did not even have that to warm their hands. Drink it scalding, and hold the bowl in both palms; it is already a consolation.
Ingredients (period version)
- Roasted and ground chicory root — 1 spoonful (bitter base)
- Boiling water — a bowl (infusion)
- Milk — a splash (if available) (to soften, rare)
Ingredients
- Instant or ground chicory (type Leroux) — 1 tsp (bitter base)
- Simmering water — 200 ml (infusion)
- Milk — a dash (optional) (to soften)
Method
- Heat the water until it simmers, without boiling vigorously.
- Pour over the chicory and let infuse for 2 to 3 minutes to develop the bitterness well.
- Strain if using ground chicory.
- Optionally add a splash of milk, but especially no sugar: this is a drink of sobriety. Drink very hot.
How it was made : Chicory, cultivated in northern France, was roasted and ground like coffee as early as the 19th century; in times of shortage it became the national "coffee," often mixed with whatever little coffee remained.
The contemporary twist : Served in a thick, bare bowl, without spoon or sugar, it tells an entire era — an unapologetic anti-cappuccino.
Sources : Domestic uses of roasted chicory, Northern France, 20th century · Testimonies of daily life under the Occupation
Simone Weil · Charactorium
