Did you know that chicory, which adorns the fields all over Anatolia, is actually a valuable plant used in many areas? Then it's time to learn! Now, when you pass by this plant, you are likely to look at it with a very different eye!

Anatolia, a paradise of aromatic plants, hosts many valuable plants used almost all over the world on its vast lands. One of these is chicory, which is divided into many varieties with its blue, purple and whitish flowers… This plant, which is frequently found in rural areas and on roadsides, is widely cultivated for different purposes in the world due to the beneficial components it contains. Chicory varieties offer both flavor and benefits with all their parts, from roots and stems to flowers. It even ranks among the plants that bees, the most selective creatures in the world, often prefer to collect nectar from. So, how about getting to know this very valuable plant variety more closely now?

1. WHAT IS CHICORY?

Chicory is an annual plant variety belonging to the "daisy family," also known as "compositae." This plant species, believed to be native to Egypt and Indonesia, has been known to be specially cultivated for various purposes worldwide for approximately 500 years.

1.1. WHERE DOES CHICORY GROW?

Chicory can easily grow in all regions of the world with humid and warm climates. This plant variety, which is especially cultivated in Central and Southern Europe, is also frequently seen in the Balkan geography and Anatolia. Some types are planted as garden plants in our country and are especially valuable in agriculture for economic income.

1.2. IS CHICORY EDIBLE?

The root, stem, and leaves of the chicory plant can be used as edible vegetables. Chicory varieties, also known as radika, bitter lettuce, or French salad in Anatolia, can often be found as food, especially in Aegean cuisine.

1.3. WHAT DOES CHICORY TASTE LIKE?

Chicory (radika plant), used in both salads and various other dishes, stands out with its unique bitter taste. Chicory salads, appetizers, and dishes are remembered by those who try them as an unforgettable flavor with their extraordinary and appetizing aromas. Those who use chicory for food state that the plant acquires a unique flavor, especially with olive oil and lemon. In this respect, the plant also has a special place in Greek cuisine.

2. WHERE AND HOW IS CHICORY USED?

Chicory, or radika, is widely consumed not only as an edible vegetable but also as a tea. Additionally, this plant, used in tonic production for external application, is evaluated as a raw material in medicines and food supplements. Of course, it would be remiss not to mention that chicory also holds an important place in beekeeping as a rich nectar source! And did you know that the root parts of this plant were once consumed as a substitute for coffee? After being ground and roasted, chicory root, which has a roasted flavor similar to original coffee, helps you feel energetic with its high nutritional value and stimulating components. For this reason, it is directly used as a raw material in the production of decaffeinated coffee today. In addition, the plant can also be preferred as an auxiliary ingredient in classic coffees.

2.1. HOW TO EAT CHICORY?

• You can use its leaves directly as a salad ingredient.

• You can boil its stem, leaves, and the root (bulbs) from which you've removed the bitter core, then consume them with olive oil and lemon.

• You can finely chop the entire plant, excluding its flowers, along with the bulb parts, and either cook it directly as a vegetable dish or use it as an ingredient for soups, creamy dishes, and pastry fillings.

• You can use the bulb parts in gratins and stuffed chicory, or as an auxiliary ingredient in meat/fish dishes.

2.2. HOW TO MAKE CHICORY TEA?

You can prepare it like other herbal teas, either by purchasing ready-dried chicory from herbalists or by drying it yourself.

2.3. HOW TO MAKE CHICORY COFFEE?

You can dry the root part in cube-shaped slices, grind it, and then roast it for long hours at a low temperature to produce decaffeinated coffee. (You can also consume it as a spice or tea without roasting.)

2.4. HOW TO MAKE CHICORY SKIN TONER?

You should steep chicory leaves in clean drinking water at room temperature for a few days. Then, you can apply the resulting toner water to your skin daily with a cotton pad.

3. WHAT ARE THE VARIETIES OF CHICORY?

It can easily be said that the most well-known type of chicory is dandelion, which has a cottony appearance and produces yellow leaves after maturing. However, it is more accurate to consider dandelion as a cousin of the chicory family rather than a fundamental member. This is because the varieties directly called "chicory" consist of types with blue, purple, and white flowers. To elaborate on these varieties:

3.1. PURPLE CHICORY

It is one of the most common wild varieties. It can be collected from natural areas and used directly. It is also grown from seeds and seedlings.

3.2. BLUE CHICORY

It grows easily in the wild and is among the most cultivated varieties. Due to its mild flavor, it creates a pleasant taste in dishes and is therefore preferred by chefs over dandelion.

3.3. WHITE CHICORY

It is also known as Belgian chicory because it was first grown in Belgium. It emerged as a result of special processes applied to the plant root. It has a milder aroma compared to other chicory varieties. It is the most cultivated variety in Europe. It has also been grown in Turkey since 2004. In fact, it is the first hydroponic crop experimented with soilless farming in our country.

4. WHAT IS CHICORY USED FOR?

In the food and pharmaceutical industries, chicory varieties are generally utilized for their high-fiber roots. The plant, whose fresh roots contain approximately 70 percent soluble fiber called inulin, is also used in the production of food supplements or as an additive.

5. HOW IS CHICORY USED IN HONEY PRODUCTION?

As is known, bees feed on all types of nectar-secreting flowers in nature to produce honey. Chicory varieties are among these types. Dandelion, a close member of the chicory family, is the most prominent species in this area. Beekeepers place their hives in regions where flowers grow/are cultivated for the production of dandelion honey. As a result of bees feeding largely on dandelion flowers, "dandelion honey," a thick, monofloral honey, is produced. Dandelion honey stands out with its slightly sharp yet mild flavor.

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