Reducing Caffeine in Coffee

I can hear some of you questioning now.  Why on earth would someone want to reduce caffeine intake from coffee?  Isn't that the precise reason one drinks coffee...for the caffeine?

Well, I am super-sensitive to caffeine.  As in, I can't drink decaf coffee after lunch else I am awake until 3am.  I even have to severely limit my chocolate intake after dinner.

It is a curse.

I drink my (decaf) coffee first thing in the morning because I enjoy the ritual and the taste.  And to be honest I need something to heat up my cream.

Last summer, looking to try something new, I bought a can of Cafe du Monde coffee from Whole Foods.  {I know the coffee snobs are cringing that I bought ground coffee...in a can!} Those of you who have been to N'awlins have probably tasted their beignets and coffee right at their stand.  That's where I fell in love with chicory.

Chicory has a distinct flavor and is bitter (like coffee) except it is caffeine free.  In the Civil War it was used as a coffee substitute.

After drinking Cafe du Monde's coffee for a while I wanted more chicory and less coffee so I made my own mix.  Now I buy a box of chicory (from WF or Drug Emporium for $2.50 for 6oz) and mix 1 part chicory with 2 parts coffee.

If you are sensitive to caffeine or are looking for a way to limit caffeine give chicory a try.

-Julie