Victory
September 15th, 2006
Heather touched on her disdain for black licorice very briefly in this post and in this one she refers to it as “The Worst Tasting Taste In all of Tasteland”. I’ve only purchased it three times in the five years we’ve been together and I generally eat it at least 40 feet away and brush my teeth afterwards.
After discovering that Leta had been served black licorice at the hand of her stepgrandfather, I wondered if, given her food issues, she’d want to try it again. I bought a bag of Twizzler® black licorice bites at the grocery store this week. Yesterday during our afternoon snack time I gave Leta some goldfish crackers and a single red Twizzler strand and I grabbed a few nubbins of the black licorice and popped them in my mouth within view of Leta. She watched very closely as if to check that I wasn’t eating M&M’s without her and then replied, “I would like… black.”
Stunned, I replied, “You REALLY want black licorice? Not red? Black? Really? Leta, I will get you some, because that is at least six hundred elephants of awesome.”
“YEAH! BLACK!”
She loves the stuff. Loves it. Today was not different, and I got her to pronounce licorice (liquorlish). Then I died from the cuteness. Then I was resurrected by the power of discovery that Leta and I are now an unstoppable licorice team. We have something we can share on road trips and family events.
I’m not sure, but I think I’m getting close to swaying Heather on the black licorice issue. And if I can’t sway her, maybe Leta can. I’m prepared for the years of waiting on this one. Because now I have a tiny smidge of leverage. At long last. o
September 15th, 2006 at 10:47 am
I’m all grown up now and still enjoy eating black licorice with my father. Last time I visited him, I took him a special box I’d found at Trader Joe’s. For the record, he thinks red licorice isn’t “real licorice.”
September 15th, 2006 at 10:55 am
Not long ago, in a small town in Central Oregon I stumbled into the best thing I’d ever laid eyes on. Black Licorice Ice Cream. This wasn’t vanilla ice cream with Black Licorice bits in it, but instead Black Ice Cream with a strong anise flavor and bits of licorice. Best thing I’ve ever had.
September 15th, 2006 at 10:57 am
My three-year-old son and I just had the same kind of bonding experience, only it was horseradish that united us. We probable won’t break that out on road trips, though.
September 15th, 2006 at 11:03 am
I can’t stand black licorice, but I do quite enjoy Tom’s of Maine fennel flavored toothpaste.
Congrats on the victory.
September 15th, 2006 at 11:07 am
As a black licorice-hata myself, I would recommend that you not get your hopes up about Heather *eating* the stuff, although you might now have some leverage to allow it in the house more often, or in closer proximity to her.
September 15th, 2006 at 11:35 am
I too love liquorice! Have you tried the Belgian stuff called Zout? It’s salt liquorice but not really really salty (unless you go for double or triple zout which I would not recommend). I can only buy it in a shop in my town which sells sweets from all over the world, but maybe you can order it online.
September 15th, 2006 at 11:42 am
This is exactly how I felt the first time I witnessed my toddler eating her guacamole with a spoon.
September 15th, 2006 at 11:45 am
Do you think the fact that black licorice has a laxative effect could further sway your lovely spouse?
(see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquorice)
Also, a word of caution - too much can cause a drop in serum potassium levels. I’m not sure how much actual licorice root makes it into licorice candy, though.
PS - did you see that Crocs are now making the most adorable little galoshes for children?
September 15th, 2006 at 11:49 am
Bombay House used to serve candied fennel. You may get Heather to try that because the taste isn’t as intense. There is a new Indian restaurant in Provo that serves the candy!
September 15th, 2006 at 11:53 am
you should create an armstrong coat of arms featuring crocs and black liquorlish. after all, he who leads an army must have a flag around which to rally his troops.
speaking of which: I bought a pair of danskos this week. I’m a pacifist, but I’ll voluteer for clog army nursing duty.
September 15th, 2006 at 11:58 am
I. Hate. The. Taste. Of. Black. Licorice. And pot pies. I can’t even look at a photo of a pot pie and not gag. My husband and son love them. They can only have them if I’m not home, and they Febreeze the entire house before I come home.
September 15th, 2006 at 12:03 pm
If you’re going to buy black licorice, you might want to get the real thing: http://www.drugstore.com/qxp84488_333181_sespider/panda/licorice_soft_chews.htm
Good stuff.
September 15th, 2006 at 12:09 pm
The power of Dad will be fully realized when she insists her first boyfriend or girlfriend (which ever her preference happens to be) must like licorice and clogs!
September 15th, 2006 at 12:12 pm
P.S. Buy her Panda Licorice. It comes in a black box with a cute pic of a Panda on it. Here’s some dancing black licorice http://www.panda.fi/engl/lakritsit.php
September 15th, 2006 at 12:14 pm
You’re in for a LONG wait.
I can’t stand black licorice. I can smell it at 20 paces and it makes me physically ill. My husband’s whole family LOVES it. They have yet to win me over. Same goes for tootsie rolls.
You’ll have better luck getting Heather to wear crocs, but convert her into a black licorice lover? Never.
September 15th, 2006 at 12:14 pm
That is awesome. So important for Dads to have common bonds with their daughters. When she is 15 and hates you, it will be the black lic. that will one day bring you back together.
September 15th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
Have you ever gotten that fake coal for Christmas that comes with a little hammer and tastes like licorice? Oh, that’s fun.
I went through my last pregnacy craving licorice the whole time, but some folks say not to eat it because it can cause labor. Sigh. As soon as I was done, I ate some Good and Plenties.
And happiness is the black Jujy Fruits.
My husband hates black licorice.
September 15th, 2006 at 1:55 pm
Save the black ones for me!
Rose is right, glycyrrhetinic acid, just one of the compounds in licorice does have a modest laxative effect and can cause hypertension and low potassium levels if taken in great enough quantity. A box of Panda probably won’t do it though.
To one-off Andy Samberg: Panda + Pibb = Crazy Delicious.
September 15th, 2006 at 2:34 pm
I came across “Black Eating Licorice” at the grocery store last week, so you can inform Heather that all black licorice is NOT necessarily for actual ingestion.
September 15th, 2006 at 3:00 pm
The taste of black licorice makes me want to dig each of my eyes out with a spoon, stick them in old, sweaty, dirty socks covered in mold and dog poo, stick lemon wedges in the bare eye sockets, and then suck on the eye-stuffed socks, just to taste something else.
Let me know if that was vague or sounded wishy-washy.
September 15th, 2006 at 3:09 pm
Black licorice makes baby Jesus cry.
I agree with Heather, it is the WORST. TASTE. EVER.
Right up there with Nyquil.
(You know Chuck would probably like it too, then you really would have her outnumbered.)
September 15th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
Gosh, I’m torn. As a fan of black licorice (preferably salted or in jellybean form), I stand firmly behind you and Leta. But as the mother of a daughter who seems to have sprung fully formed from her father’s forehead, I’d kind of like to buy Heather a drink right about now. Because my daughter is 8, and it’s ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE, the dad and daughter teaming up against mom thing. Ask me how I know. But not until I’ve sobered up.
September 15th, 2006 at 4:31 pm
I don’t mind black licorice, but I hate Ouzo and other such licorice-flavoured concoctions.
September 15th, 2006 at 4:51 pm
i have never tried black licorice, but it looks like where one would load bullets into in a gun…
I love the way Leta pronounces it “liquorlish” way too much cuteness! I sometimes can’t wait for my lil one to being speaking…
September 15th, 2006 at 5:13 pm
blech to the licorice, but the post was super sweet.