Traditionally, 'LSD' is known as the thought distorting hallucinogen with a psychedelic reputation and dandelions as worthless weeds to be mercilessly plucked from a manicured garden.
However the LSD I am talking about (and fully condoning) is a drink that produces a dizzying taste bud high but will not addle your brain cells or be seized by the police and it's magic ingredient is the humble dandelion which upon tasting will shake any idea you may have had of it being merely a pesky weed.
The memorable acronym of LSD appearing on café menu's stands for 'Latte of Soy and Dandelion'. Although ''latte'' is in the name it completely neglects the coffee bean prevalent in your traditional latte in favour of dandelion root which is roasted and ground. To make the latte a barista will whip up a shot on the coffee machine exactly the way you would with coffee granules and add it to frothed soy milk. The dandelion version has a natural earthy, nutty flavour with a slight bitterness and is often served with honey or cinnamon. It is quite different to the better known dandelion tea which is made using only the leaves brewed in hot water.
The Dandelion Latte boasts helpful, healthy traits such as being a liver cleanser and reliever of headaches (the perfect hangover cure?) It also helps with digestion, is a potassium replenishing diuretic, is caffeine free and almost always organic!
The Misunderstood Dandelion
A few cafes in the city that have started pouring out the mugs of dandy soy lattes (though you can pick up dairy milk versions too) are Kent Street on Fitzroy's Smith St, or Truman Café at 381 Montague St in Albert Park. The café at CERES community environment park in East Brunswick has LSD's that are worth the 15 minute wait in the line it will cost you on busy weekend days.
If you don't like to queue you can always stay in and prepare your own brew at home. Picking up dandelion root in health food shops doesn't take too much hunting. You just add it to milk/soy milk which you heat in a saucepan on the stovetop then strain straight into your mug. There are alternative powdered versions around too, though read the fine print on the package as some are mostly chai spices with enough traces of dandelion mixed in for it to be included on the label and some contain dairy (if you have strict rules about that sort of thing).
Dandelion Soy Latte's. They may not challenge the coffee bean as the king of cafe's in Melbourne, but they may innocently challenge a few preconceived ideas when next someone mentions weeds, or LSD's...
Has anyone tried this non-latte, latte?
