Black Licorice

One of my favorite bad things for me (although some might argue opposite) is black licorice. I have a friend with family in Denmark who brings the stuff back to the States and periodically I’ve been privy to some of the most varied and wonderful licorice textures and flavors in the world. The crazy salted stuff that conjures up a Calvinistic childhood full of bitterness as well as the slightly salted varieties which are less caustic, but still provide images of torture. Kind of a Scandinavian/European Sour Patch Kid. As a child, I have rich memories of long road trips in the back of the 1970 Ford LTD station wagon gobbling a pound bag of Switzer’s black licorice (back on the market in late 2004). It’s shiny surface and weird greasy texture still reminds me of family camping trips and cold Pepsi. With eight people in the car, the bag was passed around like the Mormon dutchie it was and not always on the left hand side.

Heather can’t stand the stuff. Not only that, but if there is any fennel or anise in any food she eats, it is rejected faster than Heidi Klum can say “you are out”. I’ve tried to swing her, but it’s gonna take a massive effort. One that may take several years. I believe her lack of love for licorice is a key in unlocking the constipatory mysteries of life.

Our second day in Amsterdam, we stopped into a sweet shop to get snacks for jet lag avoidance, and I beheld the majesty of about 45 different types of black licorice, all of it calling out to me. I would have bought 15 pounds of it, shipping it back via overnight express to the States, so that it wouldn’t lose freshness. However.

Part of my valentines day gift to Heather this year was that I didn’t buy ANY black licorice in Amsterdam. Nevermind that I was threatened with various forms of torture and quite possibly death.

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  • http://www.wandaharland.blogspot.com Martha

    That is a huge sacrifice, and frankly one I’m not big enough to make it.

    I’m the liquorice lover in my relationship too.

  • http://www.leahpeah.com/blog leahpeah

    i hate black licorice. HATE. it makes me feel the need to hurl. but my parents love it and also always had bags of it during the long drives to Arizona from Utah. but my mom also like nonpareils, so, that pretty much explains it.
    http://​www​.cocoamill​.com/​C​a​t​a​l​o​g​/​n​o​n​p​a​r​e​i​ls.htm

  • http://www.eighthourlunch.com Eight Hour Lunch

    You know you can buy that at The Old Dutch Store, right here in SLC. Yes even the salted kind. The crazy thing is at first I hated it, and then I couldn’t stop stuffing it in my mouth. Pick up a brat for me while you’re there, will ya?

  • http://missbehave.org MissBehave

    Due to coming from an immediate Dutch lineage in my family on my mother’s side — I grew up with salty black licorice.

    My fondest memories of my Oma as a child were tearing open a tin of drops that she would bring me back from her trips overseas to Den Haag visiting her sisters. My eyes would glass over the enormous mass of black shapes and I would revel in the fact that my Dad hated the taste of it so I’d have it all to myself.

    Located on this webpage here (http://​www​.hollandsedrop​.com/​o​f​f​e​r​s​e​n​g​l​i​s​h.html) I can see memories from my childhood.. I remember Farm Licorice.. Licorice Coins.. Druggist Licorice.. Swedish Pepper Balls.. Salmiacs.. The mind literally boggles.

    Definitely something I’ll be allowing my children to consume when I have them oneday.. and hopefully the man I end up with will hate it.

  • http://little-package.com/blog Little Package

    Do you ever chew on real licorice twigs? The tree twigs? Mmmm! I know it sounds weird, but it’s SO good if you like licorice.

  • http://shumiblue.blogspot.com Chelsea

    Good luck trying to get Heather onto the licorice bandwagon. As a similarly-minded woman — I also can’t stand the taste of anise, even the smell of it makes be go ‘bleukh’ — I can assure you, this is no small task you have set before yourself.

  • http://laidoffdad.org Doug French

    I grew up with bags of Brach’s licorice jelly beans every Easter. They were big as marbles and stained my teeth gray for hours. I can’t find them anymore, and I miss them.

    The best substitute I’ve found are the Liquorice Altoids, although you can’t squish them between your teeth.

  • moonrattled

    Licorice is addictive. I even have fennel-flavoured toothpaste!

  • http://www.glamorouse.blogspot.com the kim half of glamorouse

    Ah, licorice, one of life’s little delights. My favourite is our Darrell Lea (www​.dlea​.com​.au) brand. An unfortunate chocolate shop that was a top of the range option in the 1970s until the jig was up when someone actually imported chocolate from Europe to the Colonial Outpost and as a nation we all collectively went oh.my.god.

    Anyway, their licorice sounds a lot like Switzers — sort of greasy, soft and so moreish.

    I can only imagine the tales of Heather’s bowels we could enjoy if she were a licorice eater.

  • http://nataliebuxton.com Natalie Buxton

    Oh man, that is so harsh. So harsh.

    I love licorice — most especially either the hard salty pellets, or the super-soft ropes that melt in your mouth. Yum!

    My fiance HATES it though — anything licorice, aniseed, fennel etc is rejected. He won’t even kiss me if I’ve eaten any!

    Also, it really is the BEST cure for constipation :)

  • DanielN

    I grew up next door to a Finnish family and was introduced to salt licorice at a young age. Which is, I think the key to developing a love for the stuff. I now work for a Danish company and the Danes, they love their licorice too. In Denmark you can get a brand called Super Piratos (Super Pirates or something) that has Ammonium Chloride in it. Man that shit will clear your sinuses out. But I love it.

  • http://apple-mint.blogspot.com carmie

    what is with that spousal giving up of favorite foods to please the other thing? my mom hates garlic with a passion. so my dad (an ardent garlic lover) gave it up completely to make her happy.

    has anyone ever had springerle cookies, for their licorice fix?
    http://​www​.godecookery​.com/​c​o​o​k​i​e​s​/​h​i​s​t​o​r​y.html

  • http://bigdlittledmistatruffyandme.blogspot.com Karen Rani

    Blech blech blechity blech!

    I’m SO with Heather on that one. As if you couldn’t tell.

  • http://suburbanmisfit.blogspot.com Candace

    Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.…licorice.

    But the best thing is when no one else in the family likes it! Then it’s all yours on Easter!

  • http://jonniker.com Jonniker

    When I read the words “salty black licorice” I actually started to physically cough and gag. Choke. Sputter. Cause scene.

  • http://dooce.migrantroo.com minxlj

    You should have bought the licorice anyway, it’s great. Very good for your inner workings, so Heather should be forced to eat it, hehe.

  • http://bobobanjoey.typepad.com Joel Cheatwood

    My wife and I have the same split of opinion when it comes to black licorice…sad to say, it has resulted in my enjoying that strong, unique taste less and less. Oh well, small price to pay I guess.

  • http://www.exiledintoyland.blogspot.com Toyfoto

    Mmmmm. I am the only one I know who likes black licorice. It must be an acquired taste like coffee or whiskey. … I’ll tell ya, though, if I were Heather I wouldn’t indulge in the stuff either. It makes your poop black.
    Who needs constipation AND darkened fecal matter. You did the right thing!

  • http://noappropriatebehavior.blogspot.com/ capello

    I don’t like licorice, but my husband LOVES the stuff. When we went to Germany he came back with a huge shopping bag of the stuff, and it was gone in less than a month.

    It was also in Germany that I was introduced to ouzo, which has now become my secret lover. So there’s hope for me yet…

  • lindsayc

    ewwwwwwwww. I like fennel and anise, but actual licorice you can totally keep for yourself!

  • bev

    There are theories that “tastes” like licorice and cilantro are based in genetics. I too have a strong aversion to licorice. On the other hand, I worship the ground cilantro grows in, but I have a friend who runs screaming from the room when cilantro is mentioned.

    You may be trying to change Heather’s “hard-wiring.” Which is what marriage is all about, no? heh…

  • Moxie

    I shudder. Being spawned from a mother who ate “All Sorts” has given me a permanent aversion to anything smelling or tasting vaguely like licorice. Anyone who eats the stuff around me gets a big ‚fat auf wiedersehen !

  • patchuga

    When I was in England, I got to try the amazing wonderfulness that is an aniseed ball. Love them. Should try to find some.

  • brandy

    When I met my boyfriend 7 years ago I said “red or black licorice?” and he correctly answered “black” I correctly answered his “Vespa or Lambretta?” question(Lambretta) and we weve been happy ever since.
    Have you had the Stash Licorice tea? sooo good.
    If you can find the actual licorice root it is tasty too, health stores sometimes have it.
    Theres a couple of candy shops here that sell many varities of black licorice, salted,honey sweetened, double salted, chocolate covered(Ive yet to try it because I believe in the pure licorice experiance…the only thing that should cover licorice is tiny sprinkles of candy.)

    I have two words to make Heather cross over…
    Sambuca and orange juice…so good or anisette because its sweeter. It has to make her come over to the dark side.

  • ameridutchmama

    As an American living in the Netherlands, I have acquired the taste for “drop” AKA black licorice and anise. Those things used to growse me out, but now I really like them. Perhaps there’s hope for Heather?

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