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[deleted] t1_iurv2pc wrote

Reply to comment by FandomMenace in Today I learned that dandelion roots can be used to make a coffee-like beverage. by ty775pearl

My grandmother use to grow them in window boxes for her kitchen.

  • Leaves and flowers for salads

  • flowers for deep frying (light batter)

  • flowers for wine

  • roots for tea (it's comparable to caramelized root veggies like carrots or squash)

  • Flowers for syrup

She always had bundles drying above the stove and radiators.

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yoortyyo t1_ius2z9g wrote

Deep tap roots aerate clays or other soils.

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Deracination t1_iuskhif wrote

While bringing up nutrients the clay filters out of water drainage.

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pseudocultist t1_iusjrs8 wrote

Oh how my great grandmother loved dandelion wine. Which her bougie kids thought was “trashy.” She passed before I was of drinking age so I never got to try it with her, and now I’m in recovery lol. Oh well.

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Some_Unusual_Name t1_iuu9usk wrote

See if you can find dandelion honey. Boil some dandelion flowers and sweeten it with the dandelion honey. Probably going to be the closest non-alcoholic facsimile.

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VagrantShadow t1_iuvd84a wrote

Same here, my grandmother loved Dandelion wine and always had some ready for when she wanted a drink.

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IrocDewclaw t1_iuscn47 wrote

You can make tea? We always made wine instead.

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[deleted] t1_iusd7wc wrote

The tea is essentially the same as the coffee product.

But I generally refer to it as a tea as opposed to coffee simply because it is much lighter than your average coffee and is similar in body and flavor to certain black tea blends like Irish breakfast.

You simply separate the roots from the plant, clean them thoroughly, allow them to dry for up to two to three weeks, then either roughly mince them or grind them like coffee beans and steep in boiling water for up to 10 minutes.

I like making large batches of it and preparing it inside a French press for convenience.

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User2716057 t1_iut40sf wrote

Wouldn't it be easier to chop them up before drying?

They grow all over the place, imma try that next year.

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December_Hemisphere t1_iut8uex wrote

If you want a more coffee-ish flavor instead of tea you want to roast the roots before grinding.

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severeOCDsuburbgirl t1_iusligs wrote

They make you piss fyi (they are literally called piss-in-bed in French for a reason)

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User2716057 t1_iut45ty wrote

Huh, so that's why they are called pissflowers in Dutch, I thought it just was because they're so yellow.

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Cornsilkhair t1_iv5w47d wrote

So, they have diuretic properties. Did/do people drink the tea occasionally as a medicine?

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DarkestDusk t1_ius7hse wrote

It's amazing how much wealth of knowledge has been lost because people just buy their old favorites instead of finding new ways to use what they already have! :)

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[deleted] t1_ius8fuu wrote

I still have my grandmother's "cook" book-- it's more of a grimoire by today's standards though.

Plenty of recipes, but also info on plants, animals, and fungi as well as first aid, childcare, housekeeping, and "problem solving".

Hand bound with a hodgepodge of paper types/sizes, different inks, and different handwriting (not sure who else contributed beyond my grandmother).

This type of knowledge gets lost year by year in families in communities because nobody takes on the task of passing on or preserving information.

If it's not somebody's responsibility then it is nobody's responsibility.

Herb lore has really suffered from this form of cultural atrophy.

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Nebulaires t1_iusecln wrote

Oh my God what a treasure trove. Is there any way to pass some information along?

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