Friday, April 27

Liquorice roots


If you have ever been to Sweden you know that we love our candy. There are big shops selling nothing but candy; wall-to-wall pick'n'mix. It’s a candy-lover’s dream-come-true and a dieter’s worst nightmare.

We are particularly fond of liquorice and tastes vary from those who prefer the (in my opinion) inedible pepper-flavoured stuff, to those who like it salty. But whatever your taste buds prefer, most Swedes would find it difficult to turn down a handful or two of the nice and easygoing sweet variety, and it's within this category that my favourites can be found - liquorice boats.

As a child I would only be allowed to spend a portion on my weekly candy allowance on liquorice-flavoured candy, as there were some nasty rumours doing the rounds in the mid 70s warning parents that over-consumption could lead to all sorts of dreadful conditions, the main one being high blood pressure. But once I was in charge of my own finances I gladly put my life on the line and regularly headed to the nearest pick'n'mix emporium to stock up. And my health didn't suffer. If anything, my blood pressure has always been slightly too low, so one could argue that I should eat liquorice boats medicinally.

So for years I happily gorged myself on giant quantities of my favourite nautical-themed treats, and the sessions had a tendency to get particularly debauched once I left Sweden and only had intermittent access.

Unfortunately my ability to digest and metabolise the wheat-heavy little boats has taken a beating over the years, and now I have to be careful not to eat too many or else I’ll feel dreadful. For a long time. Wheat simply doesn't agree with me any more.

But like the smell of lilacs, the taste of liquorice has a powerful hold on me, and whenever I visit Sweden I give in to temptation at least once, and buy slightly too much and then proceed to eat them slightly too fast. But it's usually worth it.

Photo from www.aroma.se

15 comments:

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

Yum! Licorice flavor is big down here in Calabria as well; I've always loved it, so I fit in just fine :) Those boats are adorable!

La Cubana Gringa said...

Not a huge fan of licorice...but perhaps I haven't tried the right stuff!?!

PennyBlue said...

I have to say I'm not much on sweets...but the smell of lavender...ahhhh...that's another story! Happy Friday Wasp!

Sharon said...

You are showing tempting photos....

Suzie Ridler said...

Real black licorice is an incredibly powerful and healing thing to eat, I wouldn't feel guilty when it came to this treat.

Unknown said...

I once paid £20 for a lump of liquorice to a geezer who was lurking near Portobello Road (I lived in Noting Hill Gate at the time). can't say I enjoyed it.

Anonymous said...

I love licorice, especially black licorice.

Caro said...

My husband loves black licorice.

My son can't have wheat or gluten.

Do you cook gluten-free?

all over the map said...

Licorice reminds me of my grandfather. It was always available at my grandparents house. Thanks for reminding me of this with your post. Another memory reminding me of my roots.
I'm enjoying your root theme this week.

Anonymous said...

I love sweets and I love licorice.

Lavender is on my sheets, in my bubble bath and massage lotion... so calming.

kikare said...

Licorice is the ONE thing I would politely turn down when being offered. I remember the first time I tried I had to spit it out! Then once in the cinema I took one from the pick'n'mix bag, had a bite, realised it's licorice and had to give it to my husband (he loves it, like most Swedes do). Licorice made me understand what it means by 'acquired taste' and maybe that's how lots of foreigners feel when they try certain Chinese food :)

To this day I'm still amazed at how big the candy section is in a Swedish supermarket, and every celebration involves a large bowl of candy to be passed around!

Lacithecat said...

Oh yes, I like the sweet and salty type!

I love how you are taking little trips down memory lane. You must be an amazing cook, as they all seems to have food slants. And the best kind - ice cream, candy ...

Smile

deedee said...

I have a good dutch friend here who got me hooked on the slightly salty kind of licorice.

Vanessa said...

Licorice is a big favourite in Spain as well... they suck on those sticks for hours.
I'm really enjoying these sweet reminiscent posts of yours :)
Vx

Colorsonmymind said...

Wow this pic is tantalizing. I want to taste pone right now!

giggle.