Licorice Root
The liquorice plant is a legume (related to beans and peas) that is native to southern Europe and parts of Asia. It is not botanically related to anise, star anise, or fennel, which are sources of similar flavouring compounds. The word ‘liquorice’/’licorice’ is derived (via the Old French licoresse), from the Greek word meaning “sweet root”. The scent of liquorice root comes from a complex and variable combination of compounds, of which anethole is at most a minor component (0-3% of total volatiles). Much of the sweetness in liquorice comes from glycyrrhizin.
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