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mtnman | 05-01-2009 11:19 AM
Dandelions, not just weeds Several good recipes at this site: http://www.prodigalgardens.info/dandelion%20coffee.htm How to Make Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee is a surprisingly delicious beverage! It closely resembles coffee in flavor and body when brewed properly. I serve it at all my workshops and presentations and am always amused by the response. People tend to hesitantly sample it with a look of serious doubt on their faces, and the next thing you know the whole pot disappears! Dandelion Root is a rich treasury of vitamins and minerals, as well as trace minerals and micronutrients. It also contains numerous medicinal components, but one that draws particular attention lately is a substance called inulin, which may be an important ingredient in managing diabetes. Even the bitter flavor of the Dandelion Coffee is good for you as it helps to stimulate the entire digestive system, from the appetite all the way to the better absorption of nutrients. Truly there is a fine line between food and medicine with this precious herb! There are no harmful substances in Dandelion Coffee, unlike our commercial coffees that do far more harm than good. Folks would be far better off if they started each day with a hot cup of Dandelion! How to Harvest Dandelion Root You will need a good shovel as Dandelion Roots are taproots that can go up to a foot and a half underground in good soil. Early spring and late fall are the best times to harvest for medicinal purposes or maximum nutritional value. This is the time when most of the plant�s constituents are being stored in the roots, although it wouldn�t hurt anything to harvest anytime for Dandelion Root Coffee. Roots are much easier to dig when the ground is soft, as during the spring thaw or after a good rainy spell. Once the ground is baked hard by a long, dry period, digging roots can be frustrating work, so plan accordingly. The best place to harvest is from a farm field that gets plowed frequently or a large garden. The soil will be looser, which allows the roots to get really big and also makes for much easier digging. The dandelions in your lawn or other mowed places are generally stunted and yield very small roots. Look for the biggest, thickest clumps of dandelion leaves, as these are usually fed by a nice, fat root. I also carry a knife with me to cut the greens away from the roots. You will need about one 5-gallon bucket of roots to make 3 or 4 quarts of roasted Dandelion Root. This would yield 10 gallons or so of coffee. If you have time, take the greens home separately and prepare them for freezing. A bucket of roots will give about a bushel basket of greens so plan accordingly! I like to make a day of it and stock up for the whole year on both greens and coffee. Washing the Roots I used to scrub each root by hand, and believe me this was a lot of work! I have since developed a much more efficient method where I can process large quantities relatively quickly. To wash the roots, (you�ll probably want to do this step outside) put them in a bucket, fill it with water and agitate the roots with your hands until the water is very muddy. Pour off the water, fill the bucket again and repeat this process a few times until the water runs clear. At this point you should have a pile of beautiful, golden dandelion roots. Don�t worry if there is still some dirt left on them, as we will be washing them one more time. Grinding the Roots With a large kitchen knife, cut the roots into chunks. Put these into a large bowl and fill with water. Agitate with your hands until water gets cloudy, pour off and repeat until water runs clear. Put about 2 cups of chunky roots into your food processor and whiz them on high until they are chopped into a coarse-looking mixture. Put these in a bowl and whiz up the rest of the roots 2 cups or so at a time until they are all ground. (Note: Other instructions I have seen for making Dandelion Coffee roast the roots whole, but I find it a whole lot easier and more convenient to grind them fresh.) If you like, you can wash this coarse mixture one more time to be sure you have squeaky clean roots. If you do, let them drain for a good hour or spread them on a towel until the roots are fairly dry to save time in the oven. Roasting the Roots Spread the coarse-ground Dandelion Roots on cookie sheets about � inch deep. I can fit 4 cookie sheets, stacked, 2 on each rack, in my oven. Try to roast as much as you can at one time. Set the oven at 250� and leave the oven door slightly ajar while they are roasting so that moisture can escape. You will be both drying and roasting the roots in this step. The roasting process takes about 2 hours. As the roots dry, they will shrink down to about � of the size when fresh. After they dry they will begin to roast, going from a blonde color to a dark coffee color. Be sure to stir them frequently with a spatula to assure even drying and roasting. You may have to rotate the cookie sheets occasionally if they are stacked to ensure even drying and roasting. As they get close to desired color, be careful not to burn them! Cool and store in glass jars. Making the Coffee Some people grind the roots further in a coffee mill so that they are nearly powdered and make it in their coffee pot. I prefer to use them as they are, and make the coffee like a tea in a simmering pot of water. Use 1 level Tablespoon Roasted Root for each cup of water. Or use 1/3 cup root for each quart of water or 1-1/3 per gallon. You make need to adjust these amounts to your taste if you like it stronger or weaker. I make the coffee in a pot on the stove, simmering the roots gently for 10-15 minutes or until it yields a rich, coffee-colored brew. Serve hot with cream and sugar or however you like your coffee.

SLV>GLD | 05-01-2009 11:45 AM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds I once attended a party where the host had fermented some Dandelion Wine. This alcoholic beverage messed me up in a way typical alcohol does not. I experienced mild visual and auditory hallucinations as well as marked decrease in motor skills not normally associated with drunkenness. All said the experience was interesting and the hangover almost non-existent but I would be very hesitant to repeat it if the opportunity were to arise. I recall the taste had been offset with fruit juice but that it was distinctly bitter without being unpalatable. I've never looked at dandelions the same since!

Mantokir | 05-01-2009 11:54 AM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds This has experimentation written all over it

bigcdc | 05-01-2009 12:19 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Haha, actually I just dug up a bunch of roots yesterday to try this. Haven't gotten to it yet though.

xinkid | 05-01-2009 12:28 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds dandelion leaves are good eating. they also have some cleansing abilities. we recently harvested some of them with sow thistles and wild lettuce. (the other two #$%^s are bitter!)

SLV>GLD | 05-01-2009 12:32 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by xinkid (Post 1703516) dandelion leaves are good eating.
Is there an optimal time to harvest?

bigcdc | 05-01-2009 12:41 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by SLV>GLD (Post 1703520) Is there an optimal time to harvest?
They say they are the least bitter/Best just before the flower heads come up, but they can be eaten at any time.

momopanda | 05-01-2009 12:44 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Okay. Much to the wife's chagrin, I'm trying it out. Got some in the oven now, will report back in a few hours. Thanks mtnman. And no kidding that taproot goes way the hell down there.

Mantokir | 05-01-2009 12:52 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by momopanda (Post 1703546) Okay. Much to the wife's chagrin, I'm trying it out. Got some in the oven now, will report back in a few hours. Thanks mtnman. And no kidding that taproot goes way the hell down there.
I'm thinkin you could grow it yourself, and using the vermaculite, peat moss and compost that I'd use for gardening, it would probably be very easy to pull out. The vermaculite, peat moss and compost is a very loose mixture that doesn't clump together when it rains. Stick it in a box and plant.

GOLD DUCK | 05-01-2009 12:53 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds QWAK,As a kid I remember my Mom telling me stories about all the "DPs" (Displaced Persons) after WW2 picking Dandelions in the public parks in Chicago to eat as FOOD!:yes: It was a way to SAVE $$$ and streach what $$$ they did have as far as posable!:yes: the DUCK

Avalon | 05-01-2009 12:53 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds I drink dandelion tea everyday. Its good for liver and kidneys and its great for when you get water weight and PMS before your period.

SLV>GLD | 05-01-2009 12:54 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by Mantokir (Post 1703557) I'm thinkin you could grow it yourself... Stick it in a box and plant.
Ooookaaaay, never did I think I would see instructions for gardening dandelion. 1st time for everything!

momopanda | 05-01-2009 12:57 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by Mantokir (Post 1703557) I'm thinkin you could grow it yourself, and using the vermaculite, peat moss and compost that I'd use for gardening, it would probably be very easy to pull out. The vermaculite, peat moss and compost is a very loose mixture that doesn't clump together when it rains. Stick it in a box and plant.
That'd probably work well. That's exactly what i use for seedlings. Though the wife would definitely freak if I actually start cultivating dandelions:bear_happy:. But hey, if it good.... Much as the neighbors probably roll their eyes, I got plenty of them. I don't use any weed chemicals or stuff and besides I think they look nice (and I love my clover), and i eat the dandelion leaves sometimes too. This be first root tea though. Vermiculite is great stuff for water retention and keeping soil loose.

xinkid | 05-01-2009 01:50 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds the leaves are best when they're still tender. I tell the young ones by their color. The darker ones are harder to chew. I pull thistles from my yard but let the young dandelions grow until they're good for harvesting. :smile:

thorgrim | 05-01-2009 01:57 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Dandelion flowers are really good too. Make a nice addition to salads. Pick them when they first open and are still nice and fresh. They are not nearly as bitter as the leaves.

sand86 | 05-01-2009 02:04 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds I spent a day at my parents home gathering dandelion roots this spring. It was the second time I had made dandelion "coffee", but this time I made sure to roast it properly. The previous time the roots were only dried. It does taste a bit like coffee. Link for the process Supposed to be "cleansing" to your liver as well. Dandelion greens are found in many "bagged" salads that you buy in the store.

Twisted Avatar | 05-01-2009 02:46 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Warmed in a sauce pan with onions and seasoning you can have a GREAT dandelion sandwhich. mmmmmmm mmmmmmmm good. T

goldsilverman | 05-01-2009 03:18 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by SLV>GLD (Post 1703446) I once attended a party where the host had fermented some Dandelion Wine. This alcoholic beverage messed me up in a way typical alcohol does not. I experienced mild visual and auditory hallucinations as well as marked decrease in motor skills not normally associated with drunkenness. All said the experience was interesting and the hangover almost non-existent but I would be very hesitant to repeat it if the opportunity were to arise. I recall the taste had been offset with fruit juice but that it was distinctly bitter without being unpalatable. I've never looked at dandelions the same since!
Any recipe? I was never impressed with mine.

momopanda | 05-01-2009 03:20 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Not bad at all. Pretty tasty. It actually is a lot like coffee, with a little earthiness to it and a bit of an aftertaste. I drank it black , like i do coffee,. Would probably lend itself well to milk and sugar for all you regular coffee drinkers. Also I'll make it a little stronger next time. One caveat - I left the oven door open a little like he said, and when I went back upstairs 20 minutes later , it reeked of gas. So I shut it for the next hour and a half. Definitely worth trying. I'll be doing it on a larger scale tomorrow to store some . Going to have the kids pick some flowers too and make dandelion flower tea too.

mozkill | 05-01-2009 03:25 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Ive been trying to kill dandelions in my yard for years but they keep getting worse. Chemicals dont seem to help much but i dont buy them EVERY year either...

Canadian-guerilla | 05-01-2009 03:50 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds one of these weekends, i'm gonna try and make some dandelion fritters maybe some tea and/or dandelion-ade ?

GreenSpirit | 05-01-2009 04:04 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by Avalon (Post 1703560) I drink dandelion tea everyday. Its good for liver and kidneys and its great for when you get water weight and PMS before your period.
Dandelions are definitely a potent diuretic. There is a french colloquial term for them, "pisenlit," which means "pee in your bed." I'll just have to trust you on the PMS info however... at least until I reincarnate as a woman. :hissyfit_m:

Mantokir | 05-01-2009 04:10 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by SLV>GLD (Post 1703562) Ooookaaaay, never did I think I would see instructions for gardening dandelion. 1st time for everything!
LOL... more for just having it around the house. Plus the dirt mix would make it very easy to harvest. The dirt here is like rock after a foot depth.... Plus if TSHTF and other people know about this, you might not be able to go out and harvest any.... you'd have your own stash. So long as you can keep it private. :-) Reading on, someone said they have em growing in their yard.... I don't. So I might do the garden thing. :-)

scyth | 05-01-2009 04:27 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Mtnman - Absolutely right on. My all time favorite, however, is Chicory roots Processed in the same manner. To me, Chicory coffee beats Dandelion coffee by a mile. If it grows in your area, try it. scyth

goldsilverman | 05-01-2009 04:30 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by scyth (Post 1703926) Mtnman - Absolutely right on. My all time favorite, however, is Chicory roots Processed in the same manner. To me, Chicory coffee beats Dandelion coffee by a mile. If it grows in your area, try it. scyth
chicory and roasted barley is what they use for that fake coffee sold in the health food store

SLV>GLD | 05-01-2009 04:39 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by Mantokir (Post 1703890) Reading on, someone said they have em growing in their yard.... I don't.
Holy smokes! Down here where I live dandelions are more common than grass. They are a yard pest. You can't stop them because one good gust of wind will send seeds absolutely everywhere. Hell, they are commonly seen pushing their way through cracks in sidewalks and retaining walls. I always thought the "lion" part of the moniker was due to the fact that they are king of the yard. I honestly cannot fathom a yard naturally devoid of dandelion. In your case I can actually begin to understand why you might consider gardening them. In my situation the procedure is to constantly remove them from the garden, preferably before they go to seed. A terrible joke i learned as a kid and I occasionally play on someone I know won't kill me for it is as follows: You pick two dandelion seed heads (the big pom pom ball of seeds) with a long stem and hand one to your mark and keep the other in your hand. You tell them that you will close your eyes and they should hide their dandelion somewhere on their person and then you will be able to use your dandelion to locate the hiding spot. They are always game for this "magic trick" and will agree to this. Once you open your eyes you wave the dandelion about their body and declare something like, "it's in your left pocket" and they say, "no" then you act frustrated and wave the dandelion over them again and say, "ok, it's under you're right arm", they will smile and say, "no" (never had a right guess, personally). finally, you grin reall big and say, "Awww, I know, you're hiding it in your mouth" and of course, they'll say, "no" and you follow up with, "oh, really? well show me". When this person opens their mouth you immediately put your dandelion pom in their mouth. Be ready for a good shoulder punch, though, but they will eventually laugh about it because it is a harmless prank.

Mantokir | 05-01-2009 05:00 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by SLV>GLD (Post 1703945) Holy smokes! Down here where I live dandelions are more common than grass. They are a yard pest. You can't stop them because one good gust of wind will send seeds absolutely everywhere. Hell, they are commonly seen pushing their way through cracks in sidewalks and retaining walls. I always thought the "lion" part of the moniker was due to the fact that they are king of the yard. I honestly cannot fathom a yard naturally devoid of dandelion. In your case I can actually begin to understand why you might consider gardening them. In my situation the procedure is to constantly remove them from the garden, preferably before they go to seed. A terrible joke i learned as a kid and I occasionally play on someone I know won't kill me for it is as follows: You pick two dandelion seed heads (the big pom pom ball of seeds) with a long stem and hand one to your mark and keep the other in your hand. You tell them that you will close your eyes and they should hide their dandelion somewhere on their person and then you will be able to use your dandelion to locate the hiding spot. They are always game for this "magic trick" and will agree to this. Once you open your eyes you wave the dandelion about their body and declare something like, "it's in your left pocket" and they say, "no" then you act frustrated and wave the dandelion over them again and say, "ok, it's under you're right arm", they will smile and say, "no" (never had a right guess, personally). finally, you grin reall big and say, "Awww, I know, you're hiding it in your mouth" and of course, they'll say, "no" and you follow up with, "oh, really? well show me". When this person opens their mouth you immediately put your dandelion pom in their mouth. Be ready for a good shoulder punch, though, but they will eventually laugh about it because it is a harmless prank.
Now that I think about it, I can't remember seeing a dandelion growing anywhere here. I live in a housing complex though and I think the grass we have will snuff out weeds. That sounds like "I can make your hand taste like peanut butter"

Conk | 05-01-2009 05:20 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Dandelion leaves are good in salads. Better yet, the root has been touted as a cancer cure! I have a long article here on my desk about the benefits of the root in cancer cures.

momopanda | 05-01-2009 06:04 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds 1 Attachment(s) Just so everyone has an idea of the taproot- here's one of the ones I dug today:

Maddie | 05-01-2009 06:18 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds I have a couple of lizards who love dandelions. If they see me walking into the room with them, they'll run to the window/door of their enclosure and scratch at it in anticipation. I've been blowing dandelion fluff all over my yard to propagate more yummy dandelions for them (my neighbors truly think I'm nuts). I can bring myself to dig up any for myself!

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TheNocturnalEgyptian | 05-01-2009 07:50 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds The entire Tansy family, which dandelion belongs to, has some very intense, nutricious, and unique nutritional properties. Tansy flowers are some of the best vitamins available

GreenSpirit | 05-01-2009 07:55 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by momopanda (Post 1704068) Just so everyone has an idea of the taproot- here's one of the ones I dug today:
WOW!!! A dandelion hung like a porn star!

grinningdog | 05-01-2009 08:08 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds We ate a lot of dandelion and lambsquarter salads when I was a kid.

poor boy | 05-01-2009 08:37 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by Mantokir (Post 1703982) Now that I think about it, I can't remember seeing a dandelion growing anywhere here. I live in a housing complex though and I think the grass we have will snuff out weeds. That sounds like "I can make your hand taste like peanut butter"
Thats because you live in Middleburg , you don't have dandilions ,you have dollarweeds :wavey:

SLV>GLD | 05-01-2009 09:15 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by poor boy (Post 1704268) you have dollarweeds :wavey:
Where I'm from, depending on quality, a dollarweed would only weigh about .05 grams! :signs14: :s1:

judoka | 05-01-2009 09:20 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by poor boy (Post 1704268) ,you have dollarweeds :wavey:
Are Dollar Weeds edible raw. Tks, Don

madcow | 05-01-2009 10:35 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Very interesting. I will be trying this too as the yard is a complete infestation with them, but I avoid using chemicals on the lawn. Usually I take an instant-on plumber's torch and walk around the high visibility areas and fry the buggers. It's very satisfying work although the neighbors think I'm odd. Little did I know those burnt plants make coffee.

Ralleia | 05-01-2009 11:29 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds I tried making the dandelion root coffee a couple weekends ago. Cleaning them and then cutting them was quite a bit of work--many of the the roots I dug were dinged and damaged. But after they were cleaned and chopped, I ran them through a masticating juicer/food processor and then into the oven. They turned out pretty good. I mix the dandelion root "coffee" with my regular morning coffee and add cream and sugar as usual.

SLV>GLD | 05-01-2009 11:35 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralleia (Post 1704509) Cleaning them and then cutting them was quite a bit of work
Christ, almighty, have you ever made collard greens? Growing up I took it for granted. I just did it from seeding to plate this past week and my impression while cutting and cooking was how much trouble is this worth? Eating them was reminder enough. Slave food rocks... err. "soul food" for the faint of heart.

Mantokir | 05-02-2009 08:09 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by poor boy (Post 1704268) Thats because you live in Middleburg , you don't have dandilions ,you have dollarweeds :wavey:
No actually, we have almost nothing here. It's had to grow even weeds with this grass.. :-)

Mantokir | 05-02-2009 08:12 PM
Re: Dandelions, not just weeds Quote:
Originally Posted by judoka (Post 1704322) Are Dollar Weeds edible raw. Tks, Don
According to this page...http://hernando.fnpschapters.org/mis...us/edibles.htm Yes....

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