Confederate coffee in camp

[Dave Hull]

Which shortages of Coffee in the south during the war, enterprising Americans would not be deterred from the morning cup of Joe. Initially used to stretch coffee, eventually becoming the entire pot, chichory has been used the world over as a coffee blend and nutritional additive. Chichory is a member of the endive family whose leaves look like long broad dandelions with a light blue flower, arranged in a pin wheel petal arrangement. The root is roasted and ground, then added to roasted coffee beans, in a 60% chichory 40% coffee ration.

If you are looking at another way to really nail your Jonathan E Reb impression, you can forage for some chichory (which blooms from July through October) and roast the root along with your green coffee beans for you and your mess mates. If you are like me and want to cheat, fill your poke sack with some premade Cafe Du Mode or French Market coffee (which come in nice real metal cans.) If you are really on a budget, Choke Full O Nuts is also a coffee chichory blended coffee.

Confederate officer impressions would no doubt go for the cafe au lait (half steamed milk and half chichory coffee.) Rank and file Joseph J Jamoke's will have to make do with black, or add a pinch of sugar (heresy)

If you have not had it, chichory coffee has a rich bold flavor, kind of like a dark Brazilian roast without the bite. I like mine black and strong. Adding chichory to your morning coffee is said to relieve swelling in joints (helpful for folks like myself who never go anywhere without Brother Arthur Ritis) is said to aide in your morning constitutional (for the constipated sort) is high in anti oxidants and there are even claims it is beneficial to folks with diabetes.

Unlike most people, caffeine does not make me jittery, in fact it has a calming effect on me (as opposed to water which has me bouncing off the walls.) Folks who ration their intact of morning coffee to avoid the jitters will enjoy a full cup full of coffee, providing that early morning pick me up without the buzzy zing people describe with straight coffee. It can also be brewed up in the evenings around the fire without keeping most people up all night (I myself can drink a gallon of coffee or a Monster and go right to sleep.)

 

[Georgia]

(Chicory has deep roots so if you go to dig for it, forget the trowel and just go ahead and bring your shovel.)

It grows wild in the Mid Atlantic and makes a great bright blue addition to bouquets gathered roadside.

Cafe du monde is a great option and can be found at local grocery stores. If not, it can be ordered online-

 

[donna]

There are several threads on coffee substitutes. Thanks for posting.

 

[Georgia]

There are several threads on coffee substitutes. Thanks for posting.

(Good to know. I know there were many roots, etc that were parched and used. But, I'm not exactly up on all the variations other than the chicory. And, I didn't know what the plant really was until we moved to the old home in Delaware and it was all over the yard. I tried to move some into the kitchen herb/cutting garden and that's when I learned the roots were awfully deep. Maybe that just happened on that plot of land?)

 

[Michael C. Hardy]

Great post Dave! You might be interested in the blog post below. Strangely enough, when I was researching for my book on food and the Army of Northern Virginia, chicory was hardly ever mentioned by ANV soldiers. (Rye and corn were frequently mentioned). https://michaelchardy.blogspot.com/2020/04/confederate-coffee.html

 

[Gettysburg Guide #154]

Some year back (never mind how many), I traveled to New Orlaens on business with some frequency. My favorite drink was not a hurricane, it was the chicory coffee. Thanks for this interesting post.

 

[johan_steele]

While Chichory came into the US in the 1840's it was really relegated to New Orleans and radiated out from there. It wasn't truly seen as a coffee substitute outside of that area until during the Civil War. Which makes sense why an ANV unit may not make mention of it but why a unit of the AoT with Mississippi & Louisiana units might. I seem to recall it's first use as a coffee replacement was in prisons but I don't know where I got that.

As it is Cafe Du Monde... GLORIOUS!

 

[lupaglupa]

Love that New Orleans coffee with chicory. And when you add a beignet...

 

[Georgia]

Love that New Orleans coffee with chicory. And when you add a beignet...

There is nothing wrong with fried and sugared dough...

 

[Dave Hull]

Love that New Orleans coffee with chicory. And when you add a beignet...

Lori makes them from scratch but I believe I saw beinet mix at one of the grocery stores a few months back when I was in the baking aisle. She and the boys are the sweet tooths in the family, I prefer boudin with my coffee, maybe three or four eggs and some biscuits and gravy thrown in for good measure.

 

[Georgia]

Lori makes them from scratch but I believe I saw beinet mix at one of the grocery stores a few months back when I was in the baking aisle. She and the boys are the sweet tooths in the family, I prefer boudin with my coffee, maybe three or four eggs and some biscuits and gravy thrown in for good measure.

You can get the mix or make them from scratch. But, somehow, they never are as good as when you're near Jackson Square in New Orleans.
Are you a red eye gravy sort or do you prefer a biscuit gravy? ( first being made with coffee and the second more a rue with flour and milk)

 

[Dave Hull]

You can get the mix or make them from scratch. But, somehow, they never are as good as when you're near Jackson Square in New Orleans.
Are you a red eye gravy sort or do you prefer a biscuit gravy? ( first being made with coffee and the second more a rue with flour and milk)

You are joking right? I like sausage, bacon, red eye (which is a ham grease and coffee foundation,) mutton and even bear gravy. Brown gravy and generic white gravy does the trick as well. If you ever make big meat (prime rib) there is an excellent pepper corn cognac gravy which my wife makes from the drippings. She also does a white wine cognac white sauce using the grease and bits of the chicken thighs and legs. Those last two are fancy French sauces, which I like to call meat and chicken gravy.

 

[donna]

There are so many great gravies and sauces. We love them all.

 

[Craig L Barry]

19th century grocer Francis Thurber notes in his book "From Plantation to Cup" the following anecdote about chicory as a coffee substitute. Thurber disliked chicory and often told the story of a discriminating patron who inquired of a New Orleans hotel restaurateur,

"Have you any chicory?"

"Yes, sir."

"Bring me some." After the waiter brought a small urn of chicory the guest asked, "Is that all you have?"

"We have a little more."

"Bring me the rest." The waiter brought an unopened can.

"You have no more?"

"No, sir."

"Good. Now go and make me a cup of coffee."

 

[Georgia]

You are joking right? I like sausage, bacon, red eye (which is a ham grease and coffee foundation,) mutton and even bear gravy. Brown gravy and generic white gravy does the trick as well. If you ever make big meat (prime rib) there is an excellent pepper corn cognac gravy which my wife makes from the drippings. She also does a white wine cognac white sauce using the grease and bits of the chicken thighs and legs. Those last two are fancy French sauces, which I like to call meat and chicken gravy.

It's safe to say you're a gravy guy. No matter the dish. My ex brother in law was that way.
Momna fed him every night during his last year of Vet School. He was a gravy guy too. So, that year, there was always gravy on the table to go on the homemade biscuits or cornbread.
Then, Momma made Salmon Croquettes. I should go on record by admitting these weren't my favorite thing she made. But, my soon to be brother in law adored them. We sat down to eat, said the blessing and started passing the food. My brother in law looked up and asked Momma where was the gravy. She tried to explain that other than some brown bits from the croquettes and the oil, there really wasn't that much to make gravy with... he didn't buy her answer.
So, the next time Momma made Salmon Croquettes, she also made gravy.

( I will admit to doing a mean brown gravy with fresh thyme when I do a fricasseed rabbit on the hearth. Again, I'll cook it and serve it, but I'm not eating Thumper, thank you very much. But the gravy is a good one for sopping with homemade bread.)

 

[rebracer]

When reading a journal of a AOT Confederate Soldier who became a POW he made mention of how arriving at the prison they were given black coffee without sugar or milk and made sure to make a big fuss about how disappointing (and even inhumane) this was. I remember being struck at the time that this implied adding sugar and milk/creme to coffee was more common place in the field than I thought it was at the time as I figured black strong coffee was the normal and preferred way of taking it.

 

[johan_steele]

Maybe some of you Southerners might have an idea of the origins of a couple recipes I've picked up over the years.

Cheraw Rice (supposedly picked up from freed slaves somewhere near Cheraw SC)

1 cup old coffee (grounds & all)
1 cup rice
1 cup water
salt to taste
1/4 cup mushroom ketchup
4 splashes of Lea & Perrins or other

I discovered this recipe when I lived in SC and as I've never seen mushroom ketchup available I substituted tomato ketchup. It isn't bad and I can understand the allure as the US troops who had about had their fill of rice.

Railroad Gravy over toast

1 cup chicory coffee
1 can of pork and beans
1 can of tomatoes
1 onion sliced fine
salt & pepper to taste

Fry the onion in bacon grease add coffee and everything else. Cook together and serve over toast or in a cup if no bread.

Had this served to me years ago and was told it was a confederate soldiers dish... despite the name Railroad Gravy.

 

[lupaglupa]

I've never seen mushroom ketchup available

@donna I'm betting you have a recipe (or 2 or 3...) on CWT for mushroom ketchup!

 

[donna]

There are several threads on ketchup. Will bump them.

 

[Biscuit]

I discovered this recipe when I lived in SC and as I've never seen mushroom ketchup available I substituted tomato ketchup.

Just wanted to reply that Townsends sells a real nice mushroom ketchup on their website, if you're keen on trying some. Goes great with any red meats.