OT: I *fianllly* quit smoking again!

I think it was part of the fermentation process but don't know. I'm not even suire if the root was used, it's not grown at Pontefract any more, commercially that is. There's one very well protected plant in the Castle but few know where it is and only the cognoscenti would recognise it.

That surprises me, thyme is so very strong and all pervading.

That sounds good! Not too keen on peppermint but I've put up with it for the sake of the chocolate :-)

Mine is almost exclusively food - but some of that is food for bees and birds :-)

A RAT shaped hat????

I'll start a new post.

Mary

Have you ever broken a peppermint candycane into a cup of hot chocolate? mmMMmm It is SO good!!! ;o)

Okay, thank you! I'll get the tin out a bit later and email you with what it tells me on the side. :o)

But liquorice is simple - it's a purely natural, um, flavour. You only need to suck the root to get it, can't get any simpler :-)

Mary

I'll have a look in the grocery store to see if I can find some licorice root then. I was mainly referring to the mixing licorice with tea, beer, and such... I doubt that I would enjoy something like that. :o)

I don't think I've ever SEEN a candycane!

Mary

I didn't say I was in Lacock, I said the old town of Lacock which is just a little village.

higz cher

No probs Gemsy, I can keep them seperate for you.... email me your snail mail again cos I didn't keep it..LOL Oh and don't tell everyone on here you are getting them or they'll all come over on their broomsticks banging on your door ....higz Cher

Mary Fisher spun a FINE 'yarn':

Pure black liquorice is used for Pomfret Cakes, no anisette. I didn't measure my BP :-)

Mary

No?!? I always thought candycanes were worldwide at Christmas.... can't find any at this time of the year anyway. Okay... instead of a candycane you could drop a hard peppermint candy (those white ones with the red stripes work well... I've done it) into the hot chocolate. I've never tried this with Scotch mints though... I don't think they would melt quite as nicely.

Okay, I will email you in a few minutes with my snail mail address. No worries... I won't say a word... and I'll be hiding them (even from myself) when they get here too. LOL

Hi Noreen. I'll step in with this one... the red ones aren't really licorice, they are strawberry candy made to the same shape as the black licorice twists. Now those, Matthew likes... but he hates the black kind, the *real* licorice. I prefer the black kind, but will eat the strawberry ones if that's all that is here.

To be honest, I never had my blood pressure tested after eating black licorice, so I have no idea if it did anything to my blood pressure.

Oooh... do you remember the licorice (and other flavored) "laces" or they may be called "strings" too. I used to like the purple (grape) and green (mint, I think) ones too... but the usualy black (licorice) and red (strawberry) were my favourites. ;o)

I admit that I don't know much about sweets (confectionary) but now I think I might understand. When a drawing of a Christmas stocking is shown there's always a red and white 'walking stick' shape, often with a ribbon round it, sticking out of the stocking. If that's what you mean I've not seen one in real life - but all that means is that I've not seen one :-)

Mary who does enjoy very good chocolate :-)

Yes, that would be a candy cane. If I have one of those I *have* to break a piece off to share with my fur baby Casper.... he loves a sweet once in a while and since he can't have chocolate I give him a 1" piece of candy cane, or a jelly bean when we have some. Keeps him happy. :o)

Oooh, me too! I love dark chocolate the best.

Okay, it is getting quite warm here (was cool all day), so I'm off to the pool for a while.

Not Likely spun a FINE 'yarn':

Gem...

Last call slash comment on the BM's, but I had to laugh, cuz cheese never ever binds me up. It will give me horrendous GAS tho! LOL Noreen

I promise , this was the end, I'll stop if everyone else does! :D

Mary Fisher spun a FINE 'yarn':