Licorice root first arrived in North America in the 1600s. It was enjoyed as a spice, tea, and medicine, and the roots were chewed to clean the teeth. In the U.S. the licorice plant also found a special place as an ingredient in tobacco. Americans weren’t the first to make licorice candy. One of the earliest was actually a medicinal licorice lozenge made in England in 1641. Still, once Americans got on the licorice candy band wagon, they did so with gusto. Many of the licorice candies have faded with time, but some, such as Twizzlers and Good n’ Plenty, from the late 1800s, and the American Licorice Company’s Red Vines are still enjoyed today. Of course, Americans still love their European licorices with such interesting varieties as salt and menthol covered licorice. Want to learn more, check out Susan’s blog, with sections from her books “Sweet as Sin” and “Fun Foods of America.”