If you've ever traveled to New Orleans and ordered a cup of coffee, chances are you noticed something a little different about your morning brew. That little bit (or lot depending on where you are staying) of something different is called Chicory. While it may be associated with other great southern cities, my first experience with this special flavor was in New Orleans and I will always associate chicory with this eternally fascinating city.

Perhaps the popularity of chicory in New Orleans stems from the fact that it is a cheap addition and in many cases alternative to coffee. The economy of this city has always been rather sporadic at best and most of those that made up the working class were extremely poor. Chicory dissolves very well with water, as a result, less chicory is required than coffee in order to flavor your cup. Chicory would sometimes be used to completely replace coffee (during those lean months) and to simply enhance the flavor of coffee during times when finances were looking up.

For those who have trouble with caffeine, chicory is a flavorful option, particularly if you are drinking 100% chicory, as it contains no caffeine at all. Even adding a 30% blend of chicory to regular coffee can reduce the caffeine content in the coffee. If you are looking for a way to add health benefits to your coffee, chicory is known for cleansing the blood as well as improving the overall health of your liver.

New Orleans has gone through some tough times of late but one thing remains the same the locals are still drinking their coffee with chicory and the hotels and restaurants are still providing this delightful blend and brew to those who visit. Chicory is as essential to this great city today as it has been throughout its colorful history.

Community Coffee, which is the supplier for most hotels and restaurants in the city even offers its own special blend of chicory coffee that is made specifically for businesses in the New Orleans area. If you haven't had the privilege of trying this delicious and delightful blend, you really should considering ordering some coffee and beignets from one of the many sources online. You can actually order the mix for beignets and have yourself a good old south hometown breakfast New Orleans style. If beignets and breakfast are not your first choices for drinking coffee, then perhaps a slice of pecan pie or bread pudding would be better choices for your coffee to wash down.

Regardless of where I am in the world. I always feel as though I've taken a little bit of New Orleans (which I once called home) with me when I'm drinking a cup of chicory coffee. If you haven't tried it, it's really something that you should experience at least once. Even if you find it isn't your favorite, the experience will linger and you will have been able to tell your friends that you've actually tasted New Orleans and it wasn't in the gumbo.