Thought on Lakrits

I am generally a fan. Lakrits, or licorice, is a scandinavia obsession. Seriously, the stuff is scary here. It comes in several varieties. Even the herbal remedies for colds is licorice flavored. Go figure.

Variations on a common theme. It comes in chew pastelles and long sticks, but it is generally the same. Sometimes rolled in salt, lakrits is easily separated from the other gummy candies available here. Generally, we avoid the black candies, since, by default, anything black in sweden is lakrits. To change it up a bit though, we may ADD things to the overpowering flavor. Typically, the swedes add mint or something nonpluse. Just remember, if it's black it's licorice ...

Outliers abound. Given that the mainstream product is black licorice with additives of salt or something equally as fun, there have to be wild variations. Peppar, red pepper spices, I'm guessing to counter the more common salt variety. Chocolate, to mind fuck all the normal people who like swedish chocolate and cant read the language yet. (it only happens once)

Kan Jang, the herbal remedy. This is a wonderful herbal remedy the Swedes bought from the Chinese back in the 60's. They's since mainstreamed it, available in any grocery, and marketed it as a quick results rememdy (snabb lindring). The culminating point though was when it became lakrits flavored. We all know, lakrits is potent, pungent and otherwise not very pleasant. If they ADDED the flavor though, the herbal stuff must taste REALLY bad. I can imagine it's like echinacea and golden seal (omg, death in a bottle). In either case, you dont' breathe while you take your dose, and it leaves your breath suprisingly minty fresh. BEst of all the herbal thingies WORK. Ask C, I've her hooked on it!

Um, so this did not turn out the way I thought it would. I've been a bit spacy today, so it's okay. "I'm good enough. I'm smart enough. And, gosh darn it, people LIKE me." :)

~B