Chicory

CHICORY. There are two main varieties of the Chicory family under general culti vation—Cichorium Intybus, native to Europe and Cichorium Endivia (see ENDIVE), native, to the East Indies.

"Cichorium Intybus" is broadly divided into "Large-rooted Chicory," of which the two best known types are the Brunswick and Magdeburg, and "Common Chicory." Large-rooted Chicory is cultivated chiefly for the sake of its root, which attains a length of ten to fourteen inches and a diameter of about two inches and produces the "chicory" consumed in large quantities as an addition to coffee (which see). It is kiln-dried, sliced, roasted with a little oil and ground into different sizes, from pieces the size of a coffee bean down to "fine pulverized." When raw it is white and fleshy in appearance, but when roasted it resembles roasted coffee. Unlike coffee, it contains no caffeine, but it has a bitter principle and a volatile oil and the roasting brings out an aroma.

Roasted chicory is highly absorbent of moisture, and should therefore be always kept in closed bottles or canisters, etc.

Chicory root is also

used in Europe as a vegetable and the young blanched shoots, forced in dark cellars, principally in winter, are the Barbe de Capucin, "Monk's Beard," of the famous French salad of that name. A similar, though not quite so delicate, product is obtained by similar of Common Chicory.

For Witloof Chicory see ENDIVE.

Common Chicory is

the salad plant, grown for the young plant's narrow curly leaves; which are generally partly or wholly blanched in cultivation. It is also cooked sometimes as "greens." The title "Succory" is a corruption of "chicory."