By: Aisling Bronach of House Shadow Drake

Herbal coffees can be made using chicory or dandelion root. Carefully wash and dry the roots and then spread them out on an earthenware or glass tray. Roast in a slow oven at 180-200 F or 85-95 C. Or, if you prefer more tradition methods, dig a pit, make a fire, place the roots in a crock, place the crock in the coals, build another fire on the top and leave hot for two days. After either method, the next step is to allow the roots to cool. If you break open the root, it should appear very dark inside. Then, grind them and store in jars or store them whole in jars and grind them before use.

If you are one fore experimentation, you might try mixing other ingredients in such as citrus peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, malt powder, carob, roasted barley, licorice, ginseng, Irish moss, sasparilla root, holy thistle, ho shou wo, or other combinations.