I'm harvesting all sorts of things this time of year. Not only is my garden abundant with beets, collards, kale and beans, but my yard is abundant with a variety of plants that I like to harvest as well. One of my favorite is dandelion. First of all, you can find it just about anywhere and second of all, there are so many ways to work with this plant. In the spring making dandelion wine and dandelion flower fritters are two of my favorites. But this time of year, as the energy of the plants is beginning to move back into the roots, I begin collecting and continue well into the fall.
Dandelion coffee has a great flavor and is good for you too. (and if you make it yourself, it sure is a lot cheaper than starbucks!) It also stimulates your digestion without stimulating your nerves.
Towards the end of the summer and well into the fall is a good time for digging up dandelion roots. You can dig them up during the spring or summer as well, but in the fall, the roots are a bit more bitter which make them perfect for coffee. After digging the roots up, cut off the greens and wash the roots well. If my wood stove is running, I place the roots on a cookie sheet and roast them right on top of the stove. Otherwise, you can place them in an oven. Roast them slowly and as soon as they're dark, remove from heat. I chop the roasted roots and add them to a coffee bean grinder til they resemble a coarse powder.
You can brew the roasted roots in a coffee maker or place directly in a pot. The grounds can be fine enough to go through a strainer, so I just let them settle to the bottom of the pot before I pour into a cup. Adding a bit of cocoa powder to the dandelion coffee makes a great fall drink!
