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SPICE IT UP
Have you ever wondered where the
confection licorice comes from?
Did you ever think that it came from
a plant?
Perhaps from a plant’s leaves, the
stem, the flower or the roots?
Does the name licorice make your
mouth water thinking about the soft mostly sweet confection.
Perhaps you think of your favourite,
the Licorice Allsort.
Just imagine if you had a swag of
recipes with licorice.
Would they belong in some dream
world for the sweet of tooth?
But if manufacturers didn’t add all
that sugar and flavour could you use licorice in savoury dishes?
Let's find out by listening to the podcast with Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au
Did it surprise you that Roman
soldiers were chewing the dried licorice root all that time ago to give them
endurance?
To make confectionary licorice, the licorice root is boiled to make a sort of molasses called Pontifract cakes which is very bitter and very strong.
Apparently you can buy Pontifract cakes in England!
Certainly if you chew the dried root, it’s definitely not the same experience as eating the confection but there is that definite licorice flavour.
Dried licorice root is used to make a Chinese Master Stock.
To make this Master Stock, boil soy Sauce, water and sugar and boil for a few hours with Fennel, Star Anise, Chilli, Black Pepper and Licorice.
Powdered Licorice root can be used to make Licorice Ice-cream.
If you have a herb garden, why not give the licorice plant a go.
It certainly will do well in frost prone areas because it dies down over the winter months and re-shoots in Spring.
If you have any questions growing Glycorrhiza glabra or licorice plant, or have some information you’d like to share, why not email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.
