[snowdrops]

Back in March I went on a trip to Oldroyd's rhubarb farm on a WI trip. we then went to Mexborough & had lunch in the Rising Sun followed by a speaker who's name I think was Ron Dixon. He talked about growing liquorice in  Pontefract.
Now I'm coming to the best bit.
Liquorice had been grown in Pontefract since the 1860's or thereabouts he told us. And last year it flowered & set seed,the first time ever. Kew Gardens harvested the seed & found it to be viable.
And guess who's just sown her 4 seeds.
Yes that's right me
I'll let you know how they go.
Anybody else trying anything different?

[compostqueen]

Is liquorice actually like chewing wood or the sticky black stuff made into all manner of sweets?

I hope you manage a harvest 

[m1ckz]

yes its woody lol,,used to have that as a kid in the 60s,,not a bad taste lol

[snowdrops]

No it's the sticky black stuff.They market it as soft liquorice now in a certain well known chain of kitchen equipment shops.
I won't be able to harvest any apparently as that was why it could only be grown in Pontefract as they have 12ft of topsoil & it took them 7 years before a plant was ready to harvest. I've just got it to see if I can get it to grow.Although I have a raised bed about 3 ft deep, where it will go out after about 4 years if I can keep it that long.

[Old Tom]

Didn`t you ever have Pontefract Cakes as a kid? About the size of an old penny and about a quarter of an inch thick?
They were just plain liquorice but you got a good run for your money

[arugula]

Didn`t you ever have Pontefract Cakes as a kid? About the size of an old penny and about a quarter of an inch thick?
They were just plain liquorice but you got a good run for your money

Eeeewwwwwww! Hateful things!  IMHO!

[Old Tom]

We wern`t given them for the taste, More the after effects!

[operabunny]

Very interesting experiment. Good luck!

[arugula]

We wern`t given them for the taste, More the after effects!

But I do know of people who eat them for pleasure! 

[JamPan]

Me. I love em.

[Kleftiwallah]

Liquorice used to be sold by Boots the chemist.  It looked like black glass (obsidion) and was used to make "Shakey Bottle"  any Northern old pharts out there remember this 'treat' ?   Cheers,    Tony.

[8doubles]

You can still get licorice root to chew, looks like a bundle of small twigs. I think i read that the root is the sweetest known plant ,even sweeter than sugar cane!
Did think about growing some myself but was put off by the wait.
Hope it grows well for you.

[snowdrops]

Thankyou, I'll keep you posted over the years!The chap did say it was sweeter than sugar cane,and yes it does have after effects if you eat enough

[Kleftiwallah]

8doubles, I disagree,  

Carob seeds are much sweeter.  I found a carob bush while holidying in Greece, well, a good friend showed it to me and when I tasted the seeds, memories came flooding back from my youth (fifty years ish ago) but I just couldn't place the taste.   Cheers,   Tony.