Comments on: Black licorice is awesome

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

If you don’t like the black stuff but want to read more reviews, you can see interesting stuff at
http://www.salmiyuck.com/

The guy has been sent a box of Finnish products, all of which contain some measure of licorice and/or salmiac.

By: Talia

Talia — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I was introduced to salted licorice when I was in Sweden. It took me aback at first, but I soon developed a taste for it. Nom nom nom.

Also in Sweden, I was introduced to licorice ice cream – not as described above, but as more of a bar-type treat, with vanilla ice cream surrounding a licorice-flavored center with the texture of chocolate. Regrettably I have never found anything similar in the States, because that was one of the best things I have ever eaten in my entire life.

The lesson from all this being, Sweden rocks.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Black licorice ice cream is one of my holy grails of sweets, which I’ve encountered twice:

1. Actual black-colored version, at a 33 flavors shop in Jantzen Beach Center, Portland…somewhere between 1982-1984.

2. A light gray version, at Marianne’s ice cream on Ocean St. in Santa Cruz. They may still occasionally offer it.

I *love* being the recipient of unwanted licorice jelly beans, too.

By: DayOfSoul

DayOfSoul — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

YES. Black Licorice IS awesome. I don’t even know who got it in their minds to call so-called “red licorice,” well, Licorice.

Currently, my favorite commercial-grade (ie, light and sweet) black licorice is the Trader Joe’s brand, Scottie Dogs.

As for comment #20, I do believe Ms. Koerth-Baker was going for a Janet “Ms. Jackson if you’re nasty” allusion.

Now I’m off to the local apothecary to find some panda licorice. Mm.

By: EvT

EvT — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

For those of you in the US or Canada, that are looking for some Dutch licorice, I think you can order some through this site: dutchsweets.com

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Oh man, CORRECT RE: Spice drops, except he would also be a fairy (Human sized though), think wings and a tiara.

By: Bob Rossney

Bob Rossney — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

When I was a very small child (in New Jersey in the mid-1960s), I bought a licorice stick at a drugstore. It was hard and salty and came in a cardboard box (orange, I recall), and its shape was similar to the Bassetti licorice stick available in the UK. Except the Bassetti sticks appear to be glossy and slightly brownish, and I remember this being matte black.

I’ve never been able to find it again. Nobody’s ever heard of such a thing. It’s a little like if people kept telling Marcel Proust that there’s no such thing as madeleines.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I’m no huge licorice junkie. But I do get a craving for DjungelvrÃ¥l, from Sweden:
http://www.candyblog.net/blog/item/salted_licorices/

Absolute fantastic.

And of course the Finnish ‘salkkari’ booze.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

For any gastronomical dare-devils from abroad, the Dutch “Dubbelzout” (meaning “doubly salty”) licorice is probably the most challenging of all types. As its name suggests it is about as salty as seawater, but with a sweet salmiac flavor in the background; all packed in a little bar the size of a small button cell.

My Australian girlfriend tried it once and solemnly sweared never to eat licorice again.

By: MollyNYC

MollyNYC — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Every time I eat salt licorice, I think “why am I eating this? Do I actually like it?”

But I keep buying it, so I guess that’s my answer.

By: Manooshi

Manooshi — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Wow. I frickin’ LOVE authentic black licorice, and yet have never tried the Dutch variety. I had a Norwegian roommate in college who used to bring back the salty Norwegian kinds. SO yummy! I also like the “old fashioned” Australian kind that Trader Joe’s sells.

Black Licorice = FTW!!!

By: Chanfan

Chanfan — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ah ha! Thanks, I was suspecting that I was just old and out of touch, but that confirms it!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

HOw about the scotty dogs at trader joe’s – I don’t know if they’re really licorice or not, but I like em. I don’t like the panda because they taste too floury to me.

And, yes, I liked them from early childhood – everyone liked to sit next to me because I only liked the black jelly beans, and gave way all the rest. I also only ate the cake and gave away my icing. But I don’t care for coffee (of any kind, black or not) nor do I like beer of any sort. I do like my tea unsweetened and very strong, though.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

For your salmiac needs:
http://www.suomikauppa.fi/index.php?language=en&cPath=24_36&sort=2a

By: gravytop

gravytop — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

From my childhood: Callard and Bowser’s Licorice Toffee. The heady savor of licorice with the slightly debauched richness of toffee. No longer made, and the world is a lesser place for it.

Licorice provides, to initiates, a flavor experience without any equal in the food world, in the same way that oysters do.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Some evidence exists that licorice can lower serum testosterone levels (and therefore libido), so be careful when you eat it!

By: 2hirondelles

2hirondelles — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

BTW, a post further up talks about the ‘Up to date candy teacher’, in which a recipe for black licorice candy called for “…powder charcoal…” dissolved with a little water for a heavy paste (for color), powder licorice, and anise oil.

Powder charcoal? Artist’s? Briquettes? Wonder what chemicals have replaced that in our beloved black treat these days.

By: Felixs

Felixs — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Can I recommend imps? Small and intense. Don’t know if you can get them in the States. Used to be dished out wholesale by choirmasters, but now there are rules about that sort of thing.
http://www.aquarterof.co.uk/mighty-imps-p-432.html Slightly off topic, but worthy of consideration by those interested in the more obscure British sweet world are Victory Vs – the only sweet I know that contains Ether. If ever there was a steam punk confection, this is it.
http://www.aquarterof.co.uk/victory-v-p-190.html

By: candycandycandy

candycandycandy — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This site has a ton of licorice including the old time stuff that’s hard to find. I highly recommend it, and the prices are extremely reasonable too.

http://www.candyfavorites.com/candy/licorice

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

FYI Sugar Sugar also has single salt and double salt varieties along with buttons, honey bee, school chalk, and mounties (kind of a high class Snap) in addition to other licorices. Most are Dutch or Finnish with the exception of the Pontefract Cakes, and Haribo wheels. All in all about 12 licorices are in stock at any given time.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Here’s the Pacific Northwest’s Norwegian headquarters for hundreds of varities of authentic licorice… in Poulsbo.

http://www.marinamarket.com/istar.asp?tfile=homepage.template

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The honey bee chewy things were most like Panda licorice chews, which I’m surprised didn’t make this list. Probably because they aren’t sugar-coated. http://www.licoriceinternational.com/licorice/pc/Panda-Licorice-Chews-7-oz-Box-10p157.htm

By: Notary Sojac

Notary Sojac — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I love good soft licorice, but I draw the line at the ammoniated stuff (and yes I’ve tried it. Ate half a bag over a two week period).

As a devotee of Dave’s Insanity Sauce, single malt scotch, and 1930′s western swing, I believe my life list of acquired tastes is close to completion.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

i just wanted to add my 2c in.

Venco ‘dubbel zout’ drops are simply the best little candies you can possibly buy. its not healthy to eat the whole bag but damn have i done it before.

as for the taste debate, when i introduced them into my circle of friends, none of them liked it.
one day under the influence of drugs 2 of them started enjoying it and could eat them like i could (who grew up in a family of dutch liqourish(sp) eaters) and now they love the stuff too.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Hi Kathy,

Why did you forget to mention the best liquorice?

Finnish Liquorice, also known as Salmiac, or Ammonium Chloride:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salty_liquorice

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmiac

There are several good webshops that deliver this amazingly good candy to the states.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I beg to differ with #79. I grew up in Holland, and it was always called zoute griotten of griotjes.
I remember going to the corner tobacco store to buy licorice root or a small pointed bag filled with double salty (dubbelzout) licorice. As kids we also loved licorice powder that you sprinkled on the palm of your hand and licked. You could give us any kind of licorice, whatever shape or form, sweet or salty, and we would demolish it, no matter how big the bag. I still have to have my fix once in a while and order licorice from a Dutch import company.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The real salmiac from Finland

Apothecarys Salmiac http://www.haganol.fi/

Ingredients:
Wheat flour
Syryp
Salt
Water
Liquorice extract
Ammonium chloride
Color (carbo activatus, or basically just charcoal)

Or if you prefer your salmiac in liquid form

Salmiakkikoskenkorva (or Salmiac vodka)

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The mail order part of Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor has several varieties of licorice. Can’t vouch for any of them, but they all look interesting.

http://www.zingermans.com/Category.aspx?category=Licorice#

By: skeletoncityrepeater

skeletoncityrepeater — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

There is another candy that doesn’t fuck around.. Sugar Ginger! Ouch!

By: Rich Keller

Rich Keller — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I liked the Guinness comparison. About 17 or 18 years ago, I tried a tiny bottle of Samiclaus, which is a Swiss beer bottled on St. Nicholas day and and aged for at least a year. The one I had was possibly a year older than that. It definately had some liquorice-like qualities in the aftertaste. I really enjoyed it. I haven’t had any heavy duty black licorice for a long time. The strong flavor and lack of sweetness always reminds me of something from an earlier time. Someone should make it in gear shapes for the Steampunk crowd.