Ok, I know... When it comes to licorice, ya either love it or ya hate it.
If you love it, you're going to love this I Spy entry! We pride ourselves on an extensive collection of imported and unusual licorices. Even the most seasoned licorice connoisseur will find a new exotic treat from one of our little plastic bins.
If you (think you) hate licorice, bear with us... You may just change your mind! The colors, textures, and combination of flavors are enough to lure even the biggest skeptic in to popping a little black button with a smile. With over 15 varieties, we'll start you out slow and let you work up to the real stuff.
Confession: We are licorice snobs. As such, you are hard pressed to find American licorice or red licorice in our collection. These varieties tend to be waxy and flavorless, full of artificial flavoring and gummy fillers. Still, Jelly Belly and Gimbals have churned out a few that are near and dear to our bellies.
Gimbals' Licorice Scottie Dogs are mild and sweet, just gummy enough to make you feel like a kid again. The flavor is a as subtle as they come, but still rich and fragrant. For a slightly more sugary licorice, Jelly Belly offers gummi licorice bears, black jelly beans, pastels (which are akin to Good N' Plenty), and licorice bridge mix. The pastels and bridge mix are so colorful, it's hard to pass them up!
Sugary not your thing? Kookaburra licorice comes all the way from Australia, and while it isn't mild or sugary,it's flavor is so complex that you may not recognize it as licorice at first. The first thing you'll notice is the texture, very sticky on the fingers, soft and just slightly chewy in your mouth. Along with real licorice extract you may detect molasses, which is one of the ingredients that gives it its texture. If you have a keen palate, you may even catch a hint of smokiness, which comes from the combination of flavors. This unique blend is traditional to Australian licorice, a perfect excuse to posture as an Aussie!
Kookaburra may be delicious, but it isn't nearly as fun as Haribo's licorice wheels. Haribo is a German confectionary that can easily be likened to America's Jelly Belly, but with a more European use of flavor that is far less sweet and more true to life. Licorice wheels have the purest flavor; slightly bitter, robust licorice, hold the sugar.
Even if you don't like licorice, wheels are useful in the kitchen! Each wheel peels out in to two strands of shoestring licorice, which is perfect for decorating cupcakes with cat whiskers, spider legs, mustaches and more! Kids love to peel them apart, and it takes so few to do some major decorating!
Alright... Now the real stuff. When it comes to licorice, Dutch varieties are the Holy Grail. What do you expect? The Dutch consume more licorice per capita than any other place in the world! They're bitter, they're harder in texture, and many of them incorporate a salty after taste. You have to be serious licorice person to appreciate these. While we have many types of Dutch licorice, I'll focus on the most intriguing; coins, sea salt, cubes, chalk, and rockies. Sound like a treasure hunt? It kind of is!
Coins (Muntdrop) are a great representation of a good plain Dutch licorice. The Dutch love to make their licorice in funny shapes, and in addition to the coins we have farm animals and buttons that fit in this category. They're hard, and require a little time in your mouth before they're pliable enough to chew. Yes, you have to spend time with them, you have to be willing to savor. Dutch licorice uses very little sugar and has a very bitter, organic flavor.
If you're brave enough to take it to the next level, try your hand at salmiak and zout, both Dutch words for salty flavors. Salmiak tends to be a salty/sweet combination, while Zout is the stuff that will make your taste buds swell. Licorice cubes are on the salmiak side, marshmallowy and sugar sanded, but with a distinct licorice flavor that is perfectly balanced between sweet and savory. Sea salt licorice is on the zout side, and cleverly shaped to look like sea creatures. They're hard like the coins, but contain and a concentration of salt so strong that the licorice flavor hits you second.
Rockies and Chalk are their own beasts all together. Rockies are like little licorice burritos; soft and chewy licorice outside, with a combination of strawberry, vanilla, and sometimes lemon creams on the inside. They're colorful and delicious, and the cream offsets the bitterness nicely. We also carry salmiak rockies which have a salty cream center.
So maybe you've had, or heard of, these Dutch treats. I promise, you have never known a licorice like licorice chalk. In one inch bites, the licorice is in a white, powdery candy shell that looks exactly like it belongs in a classroom. Bite in to it and your sense will go crazy. Licorice, salt, sugar, and menthol will come at you all at once, leaving a nasal-clearing cooling effect when you finish. If it sounds too crazy to fathom, just come in for a sample!
For those of us who love licorice, this candy is like quality chocolate, fine wine or a local microbrew; There are regional and ethnic specialities, endless complexities in flavor, scents, textures, and after tastes to consider and enjoy. It's meant to be really tasted, and unlike gummi bears or malted milk balls, just a few pieces should be a enough to satisfy a craving.
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