FlaMtnBkr Posted March 1, 2016 Posted March 1, 2016 Has anyone had Swedish licorice or from Sweden? Apparently, some of it is 'salted'. Not with regular salt but ammonium chloride. I like licorice a lot. And I like lots of salt. But it is terrible. Not even curiously interesting. Tastes like you should induce vomiting, if you haven't already, and call poison control. And if you're from Sweden, do you like it? Or is it some type of national practical joke on the rest of the world? (Also, is everyone's house made by Ikea?) I don't know who thought it would be a good idea, and why on earth they kept doing it after tasting it, but I would much rather make smoke bombs with it.
OldMarine Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 Don't the Swedes also eat that canned rotten fish? Poisoned licorice may be a welcome end.
FlaMtnBkr Posted March 2, 2016 Author Posted March 2, 2016 Well if I had a life insurance policy on me I was going to be real worried because I didn't know before throwing a piece in so every bit covered my mouth. But with multiple diseases my health is so screwed up that no company in their right mind would approve a policy. So I flipped the package over and saw the ammonium chloride at the bottom. If I was a run of the mill sheeple I wouldn't know what was going on. But with people these days I probably wouldn't have known something was wrong. That or I would have started trying to sue someone.
lloyd Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 (edited) With all of this, the ammonium chloride (which is almost tasteless, except for a mildly salty flavor and a very slight astringency) is added only in a very tiny percentage to keep the product from drying out -- because the chloride is deliquescent. <shrug> And Patrick, you owe it to yourself to try that "rotten fish" just once (Surströmming). You might not like it, but it's just another one of those "life experiences"! Like Nuc Mam, it smells horrible, but tastes WONDERFUL! <G> LLoyd Edited March 2, 2016 by lloyd
FlaMtnBkr Posted March 2, 2016 Author Posted March 2, 2016 If you want I can save you a piece (or an almost 'like new' bag) and you can see for yourself. But I assure you, it is neither "almost tasteless" nor mild. Or at least not in the amounts they added. It was advertised as "salty" and has been in a paper bag for almost a week of our Florida humidity and is still as dry and new as when I got it. If it was deliquescent like AN or MgCl it would be one sticky mass/mess at this point.
lloyd Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 I'm sorry, I did write 'deliquescent', and meant hygroscopic -- not terribly so... about like KNO3. I've used a LOT of ammonium chloride in work, for making 'non-toxic' smoke for special effects in planetariums and dance halls. I've eaten it, breathed it, and handled many pounds of the stuff. It's NOT all that salty, and has only a trace of a "different flavor" you wouldn't quite recognize as sodium salt, but might confuse with it on an off day. Even if they piled it on, I seriously doubt it would make the stuff taste as you describe it. Are you sure it's not just the rest of the recipe that makes the Swedish licorice taste worse than our almost flavorless 'candy-like' version here? REAL licorice has a really potent (and to some obnoxious) flavor... VERY strong, bitter, aromatic... nothing like our grocery store black gum they call licorice. Have you ever tasted the old-fashioned Sen-Sen tablets? They only come to a short approximation of what 'good' European licorice tastes like. LLoyd
FlaMtnBkr Posted March 2, 2016 Author Posted March 2, 2016 Yes, I've just licked a piece to get a good taste of the white 'salt' covering it and the terrible chemical salt taste is from the salt coating. And I cut a piece up and gave it to 4 others and every single one immediately spit it on the ground without even biting into it. So I'm not the only one that thinks it's bad. And I really like licorice. I get a bag anytime I see one I haven't tried before, quite a few originating in Europe. A few of my best friends that know I like it will even buy it for me when they are out of country on business and I think I've sampled a pretty good variety and I like it all, though I do like some more than others. I have also used quite a bit of ammonium chloride in smokes though I'm sure a small fraction that you have. According to my inventory list I do have 24# left as it's something I use. But I haven't eaten it or breathed it and I thought you used better handling and safety practices than that >;^) Just giving you a hard time, though have you ever had the candy I'm describing or basing your description on ammonium chloride you have tasted in the shop?
OldMarine Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 With all of this, the ammonium chloride (which is almost tasteless, except for a mildly salty flavor and a very slight astringency) is added only in a very tiny percentage to keep the product from drying out -- because the chloride is deliquescent. <shrug> And Patrick, you owe it to yourself to try that "rotten fish" just once (Surströmming). You might not like it, but it's just another one of those "life experiences"! Like Nuc Mam, it smells horrible, but tastes WONDERFUL! <G> LLoyd Lloyd, I've tasted nuoc mam but I've smelled truly rotten fish in a can. A sick bastard at work opened a can in the office. It was putrid, the can was swollen and sprayed blech everywhere! Smelled worse than a rotting human corpse.
Mumbles Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 My grandparents were full blooded Norse and Finnish, so I got to try some interesting things growing up. It's an acquired taste to say the least. According to some internet sources (aka could be unfounded), it's added up to around 2% to normal Dutch licorice, and up to 8% for the strong salt licorice stuff. It's actually in all sorts of stuff, but usually gets baked out. I've often wondered if this was the secret ingredient in Oddka's Electricty flavored vodka. Yes, it's a thing. http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2014/07/getting-drunk-on-electricity-flavoured-vodka-an-experiment-in-science/
lloyd Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 ...have you ever had the candy I'm describing or basing your description on ammonium chloride you have tasted in the shop?--------------I'm basing it just on what I've tasted from my own supply of the salt. I've never had the 'salty' version of the Swedish licorice, although, like you, I've had other European types. From your original post, I feared you might be one of those 'Twizzler' fans, who thinks that black rubber stuff in the bag is actually licorice candy! <G> Lloyd
MrB Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 Has anyone had Swedish licorice or from Sweden? Yes. Regularly. It's one of my favorite kinds of treats. Don't the Swedes also eat that canned rotten fish? Poisoned licorice may be a welcome end. It's not rotten, but yes, i agree, it's not suited for human consumption. Salt licorice on the other hand isn't bad. So I flipped the package over and saw the ammonium chloride at the bottom. If I was a run of the mill sheeple I wouldn't know what was going on. But with people these days I probably wouldn't have known something was wrong. That or I would have started trying to sue someone. There is nothing wrong. E510 is a common additive for texture, flavor, and preservation. In candy it's used in different, "large" amounts for flavoring. If you don't like the taste, don't eat it, but there is no lasting health aspects to it. Well, none worse then any other candy. Even if they piled it on, I seriously doubt it would make the stuff taste as you describe it. Are you sure it's not just the rest of the recipe that makes the Swedish licorice taste worse than our almost flavorless 'candy-like' version here? REAL licorice has a really potent (and to some obnoxious) flavor... VERY strong, bitter, aromatic... nothing like our grocery store black gum they call licorice. You nailed it. Yes, I've just licked a piece to get a good taste of the white 'salt' covering it and the terrible chemical salt taste is from the salt coating. And I cut a piece up and gave it to 4 others and every single one immediately spit it on the ground without even biting into it. So I'm not the only one that thinks it's bad. You should try "Kalles Kaviar". It's the most comon "test" of strange Swedish foods, and never go down well.I actually have a bucket of pure "salmiak" (ammonium chloride) and it doesn't look, taste, or feels like what they put on the candy. Which makes sense since the stuff on the candy is a mix of things.Anyway, if you don't like it, that is ok, it is apparently an acquired taste. Just don't eat it.B!
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