Roast of the town
An interview with Marielle Songy, author of ‘Coffee Culture New Orleans‘
Congratulations on the book, Marielle! What inspired you to write it – beyond what I assume is a personal love of coffee?
I have always been intrigued by New Orleans’s relationship with coffee. Obviously, we all know about Cafe du Monde, cafe au lait, and coffee and chicory, but I wanted to look into how deep the relationship goes. I have actually had the idea for this book for a while, and as I began my research, I was shocked by how deep the roots of coffee run here, and how much of the coffee culture that extends into the rest of the United States has its origins in New Orleans.
Yes, most people won’t necessarily think of coffee when they think of New Orleans, but perhaps they should. The city is really where the coffee industry and culture began in the US, correct?
Yes, and coffee really made New Orleans the “place to be” in the 18th and 19th centuries for business and commerce. We, of course, have the Port of New Orleans, which really acted as the lifeblood for a newly developing United States. Goods moved up and down the Mississippi River, and the city’s proximity to the Caribbean made the relationship between New Orleans and coffee a real no-brainer; it could pass through the Port of New Orleans and be distributed nationwide.
Although more famous these days for beignets, our oldest cafes – Cafe du Monde and Morning Call – started out as coffee stands in the mid-late 19th century. Coffee shops were around even before then, though. Can you give us a flavour of those early coffee shops ?
The earliest coffee shops, or coffeehouses, were social spots, just like today’s coffee shops. They originated in Europe, and they were social hubs where intellectual conversations about government, religion, science, and art took place. Coffee exchanges were also quite popular; they were similar to coffeehouses but included business deals and sales.
Locals weren’t just consumers of coffee – from the start, the city had some impressive industry leaders and inventors. Who were some of these people and what kinds of things were they innovating?
One of my favorite things that I discovered while researching the book was how many locals wanted to make “making coffee” better. When someone has a passion for something, it really sparks the inventive brain. Cirilo Mingo was a Mexican immigrant who lived in New Orleans and developed a method of layering green coffee beans to accelerate their aging. Orville Walter Chamberlain was a New Orleanian who received a patent in 1916 for improving a typical drip coffee pot by adding a chamber for water to pass through, producing purer-tasting coffee. The cool thing about the coffee business is that it’s always evolving; even today, new techniques and processes are being designed to improve how we enjoy coffee.
Of course, we were also leading the world in cocktail culture, and it seemed inevitable that coffee would be used in mixed drinks before long. What were/are some of these boozy concoctions?
Cafe Brulot and Frozen Irish Coffee! I think most people know about the Cafe Brulot and its incredible history at Antoine’s. Sue Strachan wrote an amazing book about the history of the drink, so I knew that I had to include the flamed brandy/coffee cocktail in my book. I was surprised (I am embarrassed to admit) to learn that the Frozen Irish Coffee was invented here in New Orleans by Jim Monaghan Sr. at Molly’s at the Market. He wanted to create a frozen drink to “compete” with the other frozen cocktails found throughout the French Quarter! I thought that was such a cool piece of history.
Tell us a little about Rose Nicaud – a name that some may know from the cafe spot on Frenchmen, but she was a real person. What was her story and importance to local coffee culture?
Rose Nicaud has such a rich history, and she’s a representative of so many people just like her who lived at that time. She was an enslsaved person who was able to buy her freedom by selling coffee from her own coffee stand. This was a practice that many enslaved people were able to participate in because of Code Noir. It said that enslaved people could enter into a contract and work on Sundays to earn enough money to be freed. Of course, this process, called manumission, took years, but many enslaved people, like Rose Nicaud, were able to earn enough money to not only buy their own freedom, but the freedom of family members. I think Rose’s story is such an important part of not only local coffee history, but New Orleans history in general.
New Orleans is well known for its chicory coffee – how did this come about?
A lot of people think that the practice of adding chicory to coffee dates back to the Civil War, when coffee was rationed, and people had to add chicory to coffee to make it last. While not untrue, the story is much cooler (in my opinion). So, New Orleanians in the nineteenth century still held a loyalty to France and the city’s connection to that country. Back in France, Napoleon was struggling with what we’ll just call post-war regret and enacted the Continental System, which put an embargo on the trade of certain non-essential British goods into France, including coffee. Because coffee imports were cut off, the French had to get inventive and add chicory to coffee to stretch the supply. They weren’t the first to think of this- the practice actually dates back to Holland and even the Prussian Empire. When the French began emigrating to New Orleans, they brought their coffee and chicory with them.
Were there any unusual, or specifically local traditions around coffee? Was it historically consumed in the same places and at the same times as it is today?
Coffee was always an integral part of daily life in New Orleans. Aside from the coffee stands, coffee was served in the morning and typically after dinner in demitasse cups. Café au lait made with hot/nearly boiling milk is a significant part of New Orleans culture, and coffee traditions were intertwined with the city’s Creole influence. Coffee has always been a drink that brings people together. For the most part, everyone enjoys a cup of coffee, and it was as much of a part of daily life as the daily shopping or cooking dinner.
What are the various waves/trends of coffee consumption that have resulted in the city’s present day coffee culture?
Coffee consumption in New Orleans has evolved alongside coffee practices across the rest of the country. Coffee went from being just something you would pick up at the grocery store to a majorly social thing. In the 90s, we had coffee houses that served cappuccino and espresso drinks. Coffee culture was more focused on the coffee shop’s vibe than on the coffee itself. Coffee shops hosted open mics and poetry readings, and the actual coffee was more “in the background.” This was the second wave of coffee- think of the type of place Central Perk on Friends was- more of a social hangout than a place to get the best coffee. Now that we’re in the third wave of coffee, both coffee drinkers and consumers are focused on producing a really good cup of coffee, often made with specialty beans. This coffee mixes well into a coffee drink with milk or other add-ins, but also stands on its own if you want to drink it black. Roasters take pride in their coffee- where they get their beans and roasting style. They want pure coffee that doesn’t need bells and whistles to be enjoyed. New Orleans is so lucky to have so many incredible coffee roasters who are truly passionate about what they do. I interviews so many local roasters for the book who were so excited to share their love of coffee with me.
We now have coffee of almost every variety in the city. What are some of the lesser known or more esoteric coffees in town?
We are so fortunate to have so much international coffee influence in town. I would encourage everyone who loves coffee in its purest form to visit Addis Nola, an Ethiopian restaurant on Bayou Rd., and experience the coffee ceremony there. It’s a great mix of history and delicious coffee. Of course, there is cà phê sữa đá, Vietnamese iced coffee typically made in the United States with New Orleans’s own CDM coffee. It can be enjoyed at Vietnamese restaurants throughout the city. And many Cuban restaurants in town make their coffee with Café Bustelo, which is roasted in New Orleans.
Finally, I guess we have to ask: how do you take your coffee?
I am such a boring coffee drinker! I typically like iced coffee with just a splash of whole milk, but if I happen to be at a coffee shop that roasts its own coffee I usually have to try hot coffee black just so I can appreciate the full flavor of the coffee.
Catch Marielle at her book signing (and coffee tasting) at the Norman Mayer Library with Hey! Cafe on September 26th, 2026 at 11 am, and on October 7th, 2026 at BK House at 6 pm. More events coming up, see: www.mariellesongy.com
Coffee Culture New Orleans is published by LSU press and is out now
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