Hi everyone, Ken Coons, the poet, has sent a recipe for roasted spelt, as a coffee substitute, caffeine free. If you can't get spelt, you could experiment with other grains. I have purchased grain drinks before, but I think home roasted would provide the best taste. The store bought ones are more like instant coffee, it feels like the brew is made and then dehydrated.
I have some of Ken's poetry placed on the site, under Other Spiritual material. He kindly sent me his collection in a book sometime ago. His poetry was also featured in the Phoenix Journals. When I went to Las Vegas a few years ago, I knew there was somebody there to get in touch with but simply couldn't remember at the time who. Ken and I have shared some phone calls over the years. Here is his instructions below:
Hello Candace, I have tried several methods, but the easiest way is to use your crock pot, on high. You can put in about 3 inches. It gets quite pungent as the grain begins to darken. You should give it a quick stir about every 20 minutes or so, once you see it begin to darken. You want it to get very dark, like black. This should be made in the back yard with an extension cord, perhaps 20 feet or more. To 'grind' it, you can use your blender. Not to a powder, but fine like coffee grounds. When making the drink, you can experiment for strength. I use less grounds than I would when making coffee. That is about medium. It does taste much like coffee, but with no caffeine. But it does have some nutritional value. DRINK UP!!