Although I've never seen the licorice plant growing, I'm familiar with its strong, distinctive flavour. It's something that many people dislike, or would only eat when the licorice has been heavily diluted. The flavour comes from the roots of the plant, which take several years to mature. The roots are crushed and cooked to make a thick, dark extract.

Licorice is believed to have medicinal properties. It's said to be good for the lungs and for stomach problems.

Licorice 'tea' is made by infusing the sliced and dried root with boiling water. The root is also used to make many types of sweets, such as chewy 'ropes' and hard pastilles; and at Chinese shops, it's often one of the flavourings used for dried sweet plums and other fruit. However, some cultures make licorice into salty confections: intense salted licorice is popular in Italy and the Netherlands. Licorice ice cream looks a bit off-putting due to its grey colour, but it can be delicious.