9 Comments

How interesting! I have been wondering for years why many Americans I know are not keen on liquorice. In Italy, liquorice is produced mainly in Calabria and transformed in candy and a fantastic liqueur. It is also common knowledge that too much liquorice is dangerous for people with high blood pressure. It is however a godsend for those, like myself, who have low blood pressure but I would not dream to consume more than 2-3 small candies of pure liquorice a day. Like alcohol or sugar, everything in moderation!

Expand full comment
Apr 7Liked by Camilla Wynne

Who knew?

Thanks for the savory sweet informative goodies.

Expand full comment
Apr 7Liked by Camilla Wynne

So inspired to go play with liquorice and aniseed everything now!

Expand full comment
Apr 7Liked by Camilla Wynne

Thanks for this fascinating read. I’m really looking forward to more of this column.

Expand full comment
author

ah thank you Brian!!

Expand full comment

Nice read! Yup, it's as dangerous as alcohol.

https://liborsoural.substack.com/p/lay-boy-lejboj-pour-boy-lads-boy

Expand full comment

LOVE this info and look forward to reading more on dangerous goods! I just started a section in my newsletter called Nutrition-Bar. Similar concept, but focusing on nutrition of a food, how to cook and store, as well as a recipe. Isn't it so much funnnnn!!!

Expand full comment

I am a liquorice lover who grew up in the US and most people I knew (apart from my mom!) loved licorice. Anise biscotti, pizelle, and glazed anise biscuits (I still make them!) were constant treats in my Italian neighbourhood. Home made star anise marmalade is well loved here on crumpets by my English OH. I find it interesting the number of peope here in the UK who say that they don't like licorice. And yet thay like the things I make from it and star anise, fennel. etc. Maybe too many allsorts as a child??

I am surprised but the people who don't know about the health effect as I have since a child in the 60s - my dad had a heart attack when I was 3 and could no longer have it after and was gutted.

Many common foods are dangerous in larger quantities (even water). Fruit juice interactions with drugs is an interesting topic (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7823305/). the story of how grapefruit juice was implicated in DI is fascinating (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/grapefruit-history-and-drug-interactions)

But a question: I was given some dried licorise root. Can I do anything with that?

Expand full comment

Love love love this! What a brilliant idea for a column and love to see licorice featured here! I still recall feeling almost cheated when I was once offered a licorice creme brulee for dessert at a work dinner but I have come a long way since! Love all salty licorice candy you get in the Netherlands, have gorged on all the chocolate covered licorice all across Scandinavia and have been meaning to find uses for the licorice powder in my pantry! You have given me some ideas!

Expand full comment