A little reason to celebrate
National Licorice Day
Food ยท April 12
A day for licorice, the chewy candy flavored with licorice root or anise, sold in black twists, red ropes and many shapes in between.
National Licorice Day falls on Monday, April 12, 2027. That is 167 days away.
Licorice starts as a plant. The root of the licorice plant has a naturally sweet compound in it, and its extract gives black licorice its deep, slightly herbal taste. Many licorice candies also use anise oil, which tastes similar and adds that familiar bite.
In American candy aisles the word stretches further. Red licorice usually contains no licorice at all. It is a fruit-flavored chew in strawberry or cherry, made in the same twisted rope shape, and it has borrowed the name so thoroughly that most people stopped asking questions.
Black licorice divides a room quickly. Some people love its dark, almost savory edge. Others pass the bag along without a word. Salty licorice, popular in northern Europe, pushes the flavor further with a seasoning called ammonium chloride, and it tends to surprise anyone expecting something mild.
The candy comes in many forms: soft twists, hollow tubes, small coated pieces, stiff wheels that unroll into a long strip, and pastels that look like tiny striped sandwiches. Texture changes a lot. A fresh twist is soft and pulls apart easily, while an older one turns firm and needs real effort.
A licorice tasting with a few friends shows the range well. Lay out one black, one red, one salty and one filled variety, and compare. The hollow kinds make passable drinking straws, which is how plenty of them have been used for as long as kids have had them.
Ways to celebrate
- Try a black licorice and a red one side by side.
- Look for salty licorice at an import or specialty shop.
- Share a bag of mixed licorice candy with coworkers.
- Taste anise seed or fennel to compare the flavor.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, April 12 |
| 2027 | Monday, April 12 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, April 12 |
| 2029 | Thursday, April 12 |
| 2030 | Friday, April 12 |
Also on April 12
Categories: Food days