Raw Calabrian Licorice Root

Pure Root Sticks to Chew, Infuse, and Turn into Liqueur: Italy's Finest Natural Liquorice

Woody on the outside, golden and very sweet on the inside: it breaks, chews, and melts. No sugar, just root.

Raw Calabrese Licorice Root: Calabria's Pure Black Gold

Before sweets, rolls and extracts, licorice was just that: a root. Raw Calabrian Licorice Root it's the plant Glycyrrhiza glabra Just as it emerges from the earth, harvested, cleaned, and dried, without any processing, flavoring, or added sugar. The sticks have a brown, wrinkled bark and, underneath, a fibrous yellow core containing glycyrrhizin, a natural molecule up to fifty times sweeter than sugar: just chew a piece to release its sweet, warm, and slightly balsamic flavor, which lasts a long time. It comes from Calabria, the region where wild licorice thrives in ideal climate and soil, and which for centuries has been considered the home of the world's finest licorice. It is an ancient and versatile product: it is chewed as a natural digestif after a meal, broken into pieces to make decoctions and herbal teas, and infused in alcohol to make a homemade licorice liqueur or bitters with an inimitable flavor.
 
 
 

The roots of this liquorice are in the Calabria of the "conci"

The Greeks gave it the name: glykýrrhiza, “sweet root”, from which the Latin licorice and our “licorice”. Doctors of antiquity, from Theophrastus to Dioscorides, prescribed it against coughs and thirst, and licorice sticks were even found in Tutankhamun's funerary objects. But it is in Calabria that the root became an art. From the 17th century, along the Ionian coast between Rossano and Corigliano, large landowners opened the “conci”, factories in which the wild root was boiled, pressed and reduced to a black and shiny juice; the oldest of these factories still active, that of the Amarelli family, has been in operation since 1731. The fame of Calabrian licorice was such that theEncyclopaedia Britannica In 1911, he simply called it the best. In 2011, the European Union recognized Calabrian Liquorice as a DOP (Protected Designation of Origin), which protects both the root and the extract. This raw root is the starting point of everything: the same stick that Calabrian farmers chewed in the fields and that children sucked on instead of candy.
 
 
 

Choosing Raw Licorice Root means taking care of yourself

The raw root is the purest and least processed form of licorice: it contains no sugar, flour, flavorings, or colorants, only the plant's natural compounds. In the Mediterranean herbal tradition, it has been used for millennia as a digestive, for its soothing effect on the throat and the sensation of freshness it leaves in the mouth; its sweet and persistent flavour makes it a valid natural alternative to sweets and candies and, for many, an aid in keeping the urge to smoke at bay. glycyrrhizin This is also the reason why it should be consumed in moderation: as reported on the labels of all licorice-based products, People suffering from hypertension should avoid excessive consumption, and caution is also important during pregnancy and for those taking diuretic or heart medications. A few centimeters of root a day is the right amount to enjoy its ancient flavor without excess.
 
 
 

How to Use Raw Root

The root is broken by hand or cut with a knife into 3-5 centimeter pieces. To chew: You hold a small piece in your mouth like a toothpick and chew the end, which becomes brittle and releases the sweet juice; the same piece can last for several days. To infuse: For herbal teas and decoctions, boil the chopped root in water for about ten minutes, because the flavor, locked in the fibers, needs heat and time to come out. To macerate: When infused in alcohol for a few weeks, it imparts color, sweetness, and aroma, and is the basis of homemade licorice liqueurs and bitters. Finally, in the kitchen, a small piece of root in broth or the base of a roast adds an unexpected sweet and spicy note.
 
 
 

How to Best Use: Raw Calabrese Licorice Root

• THE CHEWING STICK: THE NATURAL END-OF-MEAL DIGESTIVE – The oldest and simplest way. After lunch, instead of dessert, break off a stick and chew it slowly while sipping. Terrae Organic 100% Arabica CoffeeThe bitterness of the coffee and the sweetness of the root balance each other. Those who want a richer end to the meal can accompany it with Spelt and Organic Olive Oil Cantuccini, while for lovers of contrasts a small square of Dark Chocolate 100% With licorice in your mouth, it's an experience worth trying. And for those who prefer their digestive in a glass, theCardus digestive bitters closes the circle.
• EVENING DECOCTION AND “LICORICE LATTE”: HERBAL TEAS WITH THE ROOT – Boil two pieces of root in half a litre of water for ten minutes, then turn off the heat and add the Organic Dried Chamomile for a naturally sweet evening herbal tea, without the need for sugar. In the winter version, also add two slices of Fresh Biodynamic Ginger e Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks Biodynamic. For a creamy, cafe-style drink, dilute the concentrated decoction with Organic Oat Drink hot and whipped and, if you like sweets, a drizzle of Pressed Wildflower Honey from the Treja Valley.
• Homemade Liquorice Liqueur and Bitters – The raw root is the perfect base for a homemade liqueur. Chop 60g of root and leave it to infuse for three or four weeks in 500ml of 96% Organic Alcohol, in a closed jar, in the dark, shaking occasionally; filter, prepare a syrup with 500 ml of water and 300 g of cane sugar, let it cool and add it to the infusion. To turn it into a bitter, add a spoonful of Organic Dried Hawthorn, the rind of a Calabrian Organic Bergamot, in season from November, and, for a truly Calabrian touch, half a dried chili pepper. It rests for a month in the bottle and is served chilled. Those who lack patience can try the Licorice liqueur Ready-made. 96% alcohol is flammable: handle it away from flames and consume the liqueur in moderation.

Ingredients

Raw licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) 100%, origin Calabria.

Contains licorice: people suffering from hypertension should avoid excessive consumption.
 
 
 

Food container

Store in a cool, dry place, away from light and moisture, preferably in a tightly closed glass or tin jar. The dried root will keep for a long time, even years, without losing its flavor. Over time, it may become harder and drier, but it remains perfectly suited to decoctions and macerations. Follow the instructions on the label.
 
 
 

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