Black Licorice

I love black licorice!

My husband hates black licorice. He says it's like eating a tire. He hates it so much that if I've been eating black licorice, he refuses to kiss me until I've brushed my teeth.

Now, to be honest, I can sort of understand why a lot of people don't like black licorice. I can see that it might be considered an "acquired taste". It's not the kind of flavor that would appeal to just about everybody, but personally, I love it.

I come by that love honestly--both of my parents love black licorice, too. I have very fond memories of our annual road trips to Arizona (to visit the grandparents) where a bag of black licorice was always in the treat stash. We would sit in the back of the station wagon chewing on black licorice, or sometimes sucking on a piece until it started to fall apart, just to make it last longer. (The end result was tongues, lips and teeth that were an alarming shade of blue / black, but as I kid I really didn't care about that!) I say "we" because all of my siblings love black licorice, too. (Or at least I think they do...correct me if I'm wrong, siblings! I know at least some of you love it becasue I remember fighting over who got the 2 or 3 black jelly beans in the bag at Easter.)

I still remember the first time I tried red licorice. I was extremely disappointed! It didn't have any flavor at all, as far as I was concerned. (I have since developed a taste for cherry flavored Twizzlers. But I still prefer black! The last time I was in Utah, I said something about having some licorice and my mom said "What kind?" "The only kind" I replied, "black, of course." My mom's response was "That's my daughter!")

My boys take after their dad. They think black licorice is nasty.

Every year I get a bag of black jelly beans for Easter, and I get it all to myself! (Somewhere along the line, some brilliant person decided to sell bags of just black jelly beans. We really could've used that when I was a kid!) Well, a few days ago I was in a quiet corner enjoying my black jelly bean stash, and Seth caught me in the act. He wanted some candy, too, of course! "Oh you won't like this kind of candy, honey" I said. But I knew it would be easier for him to accept this statement if I just let him try. So I gave him a small piece of jelly bean, and prepared to catch it when he spit it back out.

He didn't. He smiled. He swallowed it. Incredulous, I gave him another--a whole one this time. He ate that one, too!

Hey, Mom & Dad--he's one of us!!!

(But now I have to share...)