Cereal coffee
A cereal coffee (also known as grain coffee, roasted grain drink or roasted grain beverage) is a hot drink made from one or more cereal grains roasted and commercially processed into crystal or powder form to be reconstituted later in hot water. The product is often marketed as a caffeine-free alternative to coffee and tea, or in other cases where those drinks are scarce or expensive.[1]
Several well-known cereal coffee brands are Nestlé Caro, Postum, and Inka. Other brands can be found at health food stores and at some grocery stores. Some common ingredients include toasted barley, malted barley, rye, chicory, molasses, and beet root.
Use
Asia
Cereal coffee is popular in East Asian cuisines—Korea,[2] Japan, and China each having one or more versions (usually roasted grains simply steeped in hot water).
- Barley tea (bori-cha, dàmài-chá, mugi-cha)
- Rice tea
- Brown rice tea (hyeonmi-cha, nước gạo lứt)
- Sungnyung
- Corn tea (oksusu-cha)
- Job's tears tea (yulmu-cha)
Grain-like seeds and pseudocereals are used to make similar drinks.
- Buckwheat tea (memil-cha, soba-cha)
- Sicklepod tea (gyeolmyeongja-cha)
Grain teas can also be blended with green tea or other tea drinks.
- Brown rice green tea (hyeonmi-nokcha)
References
- Yvona Fast, "Kicking the Coffee Habit: Going Caffeine-Free with Grain-Based Beverages", E–The Environmental Magazine, May 1, 2010.
- Alex Jung, "20 delicious Korean drinks", CNN.com, October 13, 2011.