Strong roots

21/Feb/2012

For most Brits, liquorice is the sticky, black, aniseedy sweet that makes up most of Bertie Bassett's bodyweight. But for the people of Calabria, the region which forms the toe of Italy's boot, it is much more than that – it is an important culinary ingredient, a traditional medicine, a vital export and a source of local pride.

What is liquorice?
Liquorice comes from the roots of a family of legumes, the most common European version of which is Glycyrrhiza glabra. It is mainly used as an ingredient in confectionary, but the dried roots can also be chewed. Over the centuries, it has had various claims of medicinal potency made on its behalf – as an expectorant, a digestive aid or an anti-viral.

What is special about Calabria?
Liquorice production has been widespread all around the Calabrian coastline since the 17th century, particularly in the area known as the Sibari Plain. Calabria is essentially a long, narrow peninsula with 800km of coastline, and it is divided lengthways by the Apennine mountains. The region enjoys hot, dry summers and mild winters. It has a distinctive soil type – stony, pH neutral and full of siliceous substances. These quirks of geography and climate are claimed to be at the root, if you'll excuse the pun, of Calabrian liquorice's unique composition. Specifically, Liquirizia di Calabria has been shown to contain a lower percentage of glycyrrhizin – the chemical that gives liquorice its sweetness – than other varieties, allowing some of the more complex notes to come through. The fresh root has a flavour which is aromatic, intense and lasting. When dried, it becomes darker, sweeter, fruitier and slightly more astringent.

Where can I find Calabrian liquorice?
Sweet Roots in the Jubilee Market offers a veritable festival of liquorice. The stall's owner, Lucas Roberto Giuliani, sells beautiful dried roots from Romano – a family company based in Corigliano Calabro at the heart of the Sibari Plain. The roots are carefully dug up by hand in the autumn, then slowly dried at a temperature of just 45°C, ensuring that all of the complex flavour and natural goodness is retained. Lucas also uses these roots in a meat marinade, and in an infusion that can be drunk in a hot tea or in a cold, Middle Eastern-style drink. Most moreishly, he uses liquorice extract to make rich, sticky chocolate brownies, creating a centre as dark and intense as a Pasolini film. Another Calabrian stalwart is the famous Amarelli company, which has been creating liquorice products since 1731. Amarelli makes the kind of chewy black sweets that we all associate with liquorice, but does so by boiling down pure roots with absolutely no additives, making the most of the natural sweetness of the plant. "Calabrian liquorice is the best in the world," insists Lucas, and it is very easy to believe him.