Chicory

About a week ago, Mom and I went jogging. On the way we saw some flowers. Mama told me that they were called chicory. It was hard to remember the name chicory. She told me to just remember chick like in chicken, but instead of “en” put an “ory” at the end.

Chicory grows alongside the edges of the road. The flowers are bright blue with dark blue stamens and pistils in the middle. The chicory’s scientific name is Cichorium intybus. The goldfinches like to eat the seeds of the chicory plant.

Mom also said that the pioneers would put the roots of the chicory in boiling water to make a coffee like drink. People have used the chicory since the Egyptians, who ground up its leaves roots and flowers to use for medicine. Traditionally the root was use for tea to treat jaundice, liver enlargement, gout and rheumatism.

I am glad that we saw the chicory. I want to try the drink. First, I need to dig it up and wash the root. Then I’ll have to cut it in to one-inch pieces. After I preheat the oven to 350 degrees, I will put the slices on a cookie sheet to roast until golden brown. Mom has a coffee grinder that she might let me use to grind the roasted roots. I would then put it in a mug and pour boiling water over it. It might be good, it might not, but I still am excited to try it.

~Isaac