From Remedy to Ritual: How Liquorice Shapes the Nordic Taste

The origins of liquorice lie far from the North. Derived from the root of the liquorice plant, native to parts of the Middle East and Asia, it reached Europe as early as the 13th century. For centuries, it was valued primarily for its medicinal properties, used to soothe coughs and aid digestion. Only later, with the addition of sugar in the late 18th century, did it evolve into a sweet.