Good for the soul—bad for the teeth

Lately I can't keep my hands out of the liquorice bag while I'm typing away. If I continue to scoff on at this rate, I may eventually grow sick of them (as if), and I'm concerned about the state of my teeth. Chomping on chewy, sugary sweets all day long is not good for them.

The solution, of course, is sugar-free liquorice.

And here deBron's Zoute Klavertjes ('salty clover') hits the spot: chewy, bouncy, pleasantly rounded and with a pure, satisfying hit of ammonium chloride; they are among the very best. I am at this moment devouring the very last one. I bought them in a small sweet shop on Murray Place in Stirling city centre, but I have never found them anywhere else. Intriguingly, their ingredients are listed in such Mediterranean languages as French, Italian, Spanish and Portugese, so you'll never know where you may find them...

9/10

Still going strong...

Action on the Bootsnall Scandinavian black licorice appreciation thread!

Totally Swedish

'The Swedish Affair', London's only salty liquorice shop, has re-opened at 32 Crawford Street, W1; only now it is called 'Totally Swedish' and it has its own website!

As yet, there is not much to chose from, but a steady stream of customers poured through the door while I was there and the two shopkeepers were busily (and willingly!) scribbling down suggestions. So, soon we'll have Tyrkisk Peber again, and Lakritsal and many of the other old favourites. Meanwhile I came away with Salta Lakritsfigurer (Swedish version of 'Katjes'), some mean, small Malaco liquorice ('Djungelvrål') and a bulging bag with loose miniature dummies, salt herrings, boiled liquorice-flavoured sweets and Heksehyl. More about all that later.

Another nice edition to the bright and airy shop is a large chill cabinet stocked with the finest marinated seafoods. I shall come back with a cool-bag!