Licorice root

Name variations

 * liquorice root

About licorice root
Sticks of licorice typically have a diameter between two and ten millimetres. Although they resemble plain wooden sticks, they are soft enough to be chewed on. They used to be popular among Dutch, Danish and Swedish children. In Yorkshire in the early 1950s, wooden sticks of licorice, around 8mm diameter, were readily available (and popular) in sweet shops. They were bought as 'sticks of liquorice', and they were chewed by young children. The wood was yellowish, and fibrous when chewed. Licorice root can have either a salty or sweet taste. The thin sticks are usually quite salty and sometimes taste like salmiak (salty licorice), whereas the thick sticks are usually quite sweet, with a salty undertone. Licorice root is also widely available in Denmark, especially in The Old Town of Århus. It is also sold by the drugstore and dry-salter chain Matas and most green grocers.