To Royaldevon: Liquorice............

[tyro]

Hi Bev,

First of all, thank you for your kind critique on my picture. I didn't actually think it was that great a photograph, but, as soon as I saw this place, I immediately thought of our Ozzi friend!

But, Gosh, don't we learn so much on TE - from other peoples' notes and discussions and also from doing our research to write our own notes too?

I've never actually heard of Australian soft liquorice - I must look out for that - but what your critique did remind me of was that when I was a very young kid living in the Wirral, I occasionally used to pop next door to see the old lady who lived there and she had stuff which she called "Spanish Rock" - it came in hard sticks about 4" long and about 1/2" in diameter and looked like shiny black glass or jet. You could break it (or shatter it) by hitting it with a hammer or a thick knife and suck it - it tasted like liquorice because that's what it was. She also occasionally used to put bits of the stuff in a cup and dissolve it in boiling water for me - a strong liquorice drink which, actually, I seem to remember I didn't like very much.

Then, many years later, I remember asking my Dad why it was called "Spanish Rock" and he told me that his mother (my grandmother) always referred to liquorice as just "Spanish" - apparently in the Liverpool area that's what liquorice was always called.

I've just done a quick "Google" and I found this interesting article - never mind the picture at the top - which I thought might interest you as you live in Lancashire and not far from the Yorkshire border where Pontefract lies.

Have you ever heard of liquorice being called "Spanish" in the past? I'd be interested to know if that term for liquorice is still used in those parts of the country!

Kindest Regards,

John.

[Royaldevon]

Thanks for that interesting article, John.

I have always loved the taste and, as a child, would get a ha'penny spanish and a pennyworth of Kali, in a paper bag. The spanish was dipped into the kali and sucked. It would last for ages.

Sometimes, we would break up the spanish and put it in a (medicine) bottle of water, shake it up and leave it for ages to dissolve. We then pretended it was medicine for giving in spoonfuls to our patients (friends), or it could become beer for the more adventurous to try!

I moved on from spanish to pomfret cakes or liquorice cream rock (made by Dunhills) in my teen years and am now an avid licquorice allsorts girl. I'm not too keen on Bassetts but love that sold at Aldi!

There you are, a whole history of liquorice eating in the Robinson household.

Have a lovely day,
Bev :-)

[tyro]

Hi Bev,

Well that's jolly interesting too. So I guess that no members of your family suffers from gastic or duodenal ulcers? Liquorice has been a cure for those fo many years though it has been superseded by more effective things like bismuth (initially), then ranitidine, and now omeprazole and its like.

And did you call it "Spanish" too? And do you know if you can still get that rock-hard stuff? I've not seen that for probably sixty years.

Nice to know that you're a fan of "Aldi" - but I think I knew that already from Shropshire - you can get your liquorice there and I can get my car tools! Must try their liquorice next time I'm in - I'll let you know what I think!

Interesting note and piccie about "vaccary walls" too - I've commented on that one. But, shame to say, I really, really do prefer your workshop picture - in my opinion it's one of your very best!

Kindest Regards,

John.

[Royaldevon]

I'd forgotten for a moment about your medical knowledge, John; though I have become aware of some of the healthy properties of spanish, myself!
When I am buying the product, I always call them liquorice allsorts but to me the ingredients are still spanish.

You can still get the hard stuff at places like Stockley's old fashioned sweets.

Have you ever tried the salt liquorice from Holland?
Some is delicious, some is awful!
I don't think its too healthy but good in small doses.

Best wishes,
Bev :-)

[delpeoples]

Dear Giovanni & Bev

Your discussion has given me a laugh, and as usual, edified and entertained me.

Bev, I'm flattered that you think of me when you see Aussie licorice...and you edify me by letting me know that we export licorice to the UK - how strange! And yes definitely I have been known to partake in the odd licorice allsort or 12

The name "Spanish" being attributed to confectionery is also fascinating and (dare I say it) really funny. Because Italians also refer to "Spanish" but it has nothing to do with food and more to do with extra curricular adult activites. Telling an Italian man that you can't get enough of Spanish will make you a very popular lady indeed

On that note, I think I'll depart the conversation before I'm banned permanently.

Un abbraccio
Lisa