Although not often used in gastronomy, the juice of the licorice root has been widely used to make candies and throat lozenges since at least the Middle Ages. The name of this plant looks as if it might be related to the word liquor, a resemblance even more striking in Britain where licorice is usually spelt liquorice. However, the resemblance between these two words—licorice and liquor—is only superficial, based merely on a misapprehension of the plant’s original Greek name, glukurrhiza, meaning sweet root. When the ancient Romans borrowed this Greek name, they would have normally rendered it into Latin by spelling it something like glycyrrhiza, which in fact was the spelling suggested by Pliny the Elder, an ancient Roman historian. Other Roman authors, however, made the mistake of thinking that the name of the plant had something to do with the extract or “liquor” derived from its root, and therefore they altered the spelling of its name from glycyrrhiza to liquiritia. It was this “reformed” spelling that caught on in Latin, and that later evolved into the Old French licorece. In the thirteenth century, English adopted the word from French, spelling it licorice, and then later, in the sixteenth century, respelt it as liquorice, again on the mistaken assumption that the word was related to liquor. The two forms, licorice and liquorice, have competed with each other ever since. Incidentally, the Old French name of the plant, licorece, underwent a further strange change as it continued to develop in French: the / at the beginning of the word and the r in the middle traded places, a phonological process known as metathesis. The result of the switch was recolisse, which developed into the Modern French word for licorice—reglisse.
The dried root of a leguminous plant.
A dried root of Glycyrrhiza glabra used as a flavoring agent, demulcent, and mild expectorant. Glycyrrhiza is prepared from licorice. Ingestion of large amounts of licorice can cause salt retention, excess potassium loss in the urine, and elevated blood pressure.
An herb that belongs to the pea family, and is indigenous to Europe. This herb features blue-colored flowers and has a characteristic, potent, and sweet flavor that bears a slight pungency similar to anise. Once the root has been dried and processed, it is often employed in the creation of medicinal remedies. Additionally, it is utilized in the production of a chewy, black candy.
The dark-colored juice derived from the roots of this plant is employed in various applications such as candy-making, flavoring, and medicinal purposes.