Licorice Lovers Take Heed
Sandy Dickson

I bet you didn’t know there is a National Licorice Day. Yes, and it’s April 12, so it’s coming up soon.

Licorice – the true black licorice, as opposed to the manufactured red licorice that has no claim to licorice fame, (though it is tasty,) is usually either loved or detested with not much in between. With vehemence on both sides of the black licorice issue, there is no denying its health benefits.

Derived from a root native to southern Europe and parts of Asia, it is a herbaceous perennial and actually a legume. Despite the fruit being an oblong pod, it is grown for its root. Very little commercial licorice is grown in North America, but an American counterpart in taste is anise, popularly used to duplicate licorice taste. Other herbs possessing similar flavor include star anise, tarragon and fennel.

Licorice is a very popular treat in many countries, with a wide variety of taste preferences. In Italy, unsweetened licorice is a popular choice, where the root is simply dug up, washed and chewed as a mouth freshener. Unsweetened licorice is also made in Italy from 100 percent pure licorice extract for a bitter and intense taste.

Continental Europe generally enjoys a stronger or saltier form of licorice than their American counterparts. The most popular forms in United Kingdom are very sweet. However, the use of aniseed oil is often employed to reinforce the expected licorice taste.

Licorice is touted as having a medicinal value and is often included in cough syrups and drops for bronchial and sore throat issues as well as viral infections such as hepatitis. It is also successfully used for both mouth ulcers and peptic ulcers. It has a mild laxative effect, and in moderate amounts can soothe an upset stomach.

With abundant consumption, negative effects can include the cause of high blood pressure, edema, and low potassium levels, which could lead to heart problems, so people with these existing issues should be cautious in profuse licorice indulgence. 

Okay, now that we’ve got the factual stuff out of the way, (and I’m sure we’ve lost our non-licorice lover readership by now anyway) let’s get on with the fun stuff. Wouldn’t it be great be able to sample all the different kinds of black licorice without leaving home?  I’ve got just the answer for you, so licorice lovers; this must be your lucky day.

There is a company in Lincoln, Nebraska that specializes in pretty much every kind of licorice probably known to man. With 160 types of licorice from 13 countries, you can probably try every one of them in your lifetime. Their web site tells all about what they have, and they offer their whole variety via their web site. They even have licorice tea!  You can even chew on licorice root. So here’s your chance. And even if you happen to be one who doesn’t care for black licorice, chances are there is someone on your gift list who does! Certainly there wouldn’t be a lot of duplications of that gift you’d have to worry about, and any licorice lover would really love you for it.

Their website is : www.licoriceinternational.com.
Phone: (402) 488-2230 or 800 LICORICE (543-6742.)
Tours are given if you ever get by that way, at:
Licorice International, 803 Q Street, Lincoln, NE 68508

Copyright © 2007 Sandy Dickson. All rights reserved.

Visit Sandy's Corner

www.goflo.com/sd

or visit Sandy Dickson's WEBSITE