“It sounds terrible, I can’t do it.” “It feels like you’re getting hit by a wave. No literally, like salt water is going up your nose.””Oh, I don’t know if I can do this. I love licorice, I love black licorice, but this stuff’s crazy.” “It really gives me these memories of being a child and falling into the Puget Sound and not being able to get out of it.” “I kind of liked that last one. It’s one of those things, you like the pain.” “No for real, what it is this? It makes my tongue feel weird. Are you drugging us? It’s making my mouth foam.” “I think you guys are being racist, not trying this ethnic food.” “All food is ethnic. Can you show me some non-ethnic food?””Can I come over to your house and make fun of your food?””You say whatever you need to say to make yourself feel better.””My mom thinks I’m cute.” “What’s this?” “Not good.””It’s disgusting. Is this a joke?” “It tastes good.” “It burns.””I don’t like licorice anyway. I only like it in Sambuca form. It’s true.” “It’s intense (said through clenched teeth). It lasted maybe fifteen seconds in my mouth.” OK, so I grew up with this stuff, and I like it. Yes, these rubbery near black rounds marked with DZ for Double Zout (double salt) are intensely salty and strangely chewy, with an over the top licorice taste exaggerated by the salt. I guess like any other childhood flavor, maybe most of what brings me pleasure is the nostalgia. For me, these candies are addictive.But I know that most people not raised on the stuff consider it horrible. It’s candy that people actually spit out.Bad Candy doesn’t like it, either. Image: Slashfood.com