DANDELION COFFEE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3226, 1 November 1881, Page 4

DANDELION COFFEE.

The Otago Daily Times says that an industry which may yet become of some importance is at present carried on by Mr Leslie, 'and a few other settlers on the Peninsula, on a small scale—namely, the manufacture of dandelion coffee, which; is produced from the root of the dandelion. The soil on the Peninsula is peculiarly adaptod to the growth of this weed—for it is generally regarded as such—and in m-iny places large quantities of the root can be obtained without any trouble. settlers simply dry the roots, and dispose of them at satisfactory prices to Mr J. Neil (herbalist) and other buyers. Others again (such as Mr Leslie), make the coffee and sell ifc''in its pure state, or keep it for their own consumption. _ The Srooess of manufacture is very simple. !he roots, on being dug out of the ground, are washed, and then chopped into small Sieces with a knife j after which they are ried in the sun or in an airy shed.. are then plaoed in an oven, and browned according to taste ; after which the stuff is put through a common coffee-mill, and is, then ready for use. The niedicinal proper- > ties of the coffee are well known. It tastes something similar to the common coffee, but is of rather a murky color. A good many people already use it mixed with other coffees, and it will, no doubt, come into more general use before long.