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History of the Dutch Drop:

Nowhere is licorice more universally adored than in the Netherlands, which boasts the highest per capita consumption in the world (almost 4 1/2 pounds per person per year) giving the Dutch drop (Dutch for "licorice") market a total value of $225,157,500, at the time of writing.

Medicinal Properties

More than a mere candy in the Netherlands, licorice is also used as a lozenge to soothe sore throats. In fact, licorice is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties and has been used as a medicine since ancient times by many cultures - licorice root was even found in Tutankhamen’s tomb.

The lingering perception that licorice is medicinal can have some negative side effects. Some Dutch mothers offer their children a dropje in lieu of candy, ignoring the fact that it contains just as much sugar as regular sweets, in addition to a hefty dose of salt (for some varieties). Salty drop is also known to raise blood pressure, but only when consumed in large quantities.

Harvesting

It may seem surprising that while the obsession with licorice is rooted in the North, the liquorice root itself is actually native to Southern Europe. The barky roots of the Glycyrrhiza glabra plant are harvested in the autumn, after which the roots are dried, ground and boiled. The pulp is then filtered, concentrated, poured into molds and left to dry.  The resulting product is called block licorice, which is sold to candy manufacturers, wrapped in bay leaves and transported to their factories, where it is processed further.

Variety of shapes

It's safe to say that drop is a bit of a Dutch culinary icon. The candy is available in sweet and salty versions and in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, including coins, shoelaces, cat and herring shapes, to name only a few. Drop is often flavored with menthol, bay leaf, or honey. In fact, the bay leaf flavor is simply an enhancement of the flavoring the bay leaves give off during transportation.

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