Herring

You can never predict.  Some foods sound really good but once you put them in your mouth there is a great disappointment.  Watermelon was good so cantaloupe must be OK too, right?  Well, not so much.

Mary bought me a small package of Dutch licorice (for those unfamiliar with Dutch style, it is salty).  It is true that I like Dutch licorice and even appreciate the "dubbel zout" (double salt) variety, which many find repulsive, immediately spitting it out especially if they think they are eating candy.  But this particular package had the word "Herring" at the top and this gave me some pause.  I checked the ingredients to see if the salt might originate from little salty fish.  It appeared to be a vegetarian recipe.  Regardless, I set the package aside thinking with all my nausea and coughing and disagreeable foods and food textures, Dutch licorice was bound to clash with something.  Just the word "herring" set my stomach on edge.  Nice try, Mary.

But last night my old friend Herm stopped by for a visit and a glass of Founders Centenial IPA. (I'm drinking water by the way.) It was Herm's dad, a Dutch immigrant, who originally turned me on to Dutch licorice.  As young teenagers and descendents of Hollanders, we took some pride in the appreciation of this acquired taste.  We would even make an occasional foray into the Dutch store to sample Dutch licorice in its various forms.  Right next to the cases of Dutch chocolate, we chose licorice.

So I decided to tear into the package of "herring" in honor of Herm's visit and immediately discovered that the licorice was in the SHAPE of herring.  Duh!  My second discovery was that this Dutch licorice came alive in my mouth.  It was stroking all the right taste buds.  And the chewy texture somehow provided a perfect mouthfeel.  And then it felt good going down.

Herm and I both polished of several herring and then went our separate ways.

And now I am chasing these nasty "Xeloda" chemo horse pills that I have to take twice a day with Dutch licorice.  It gives me some incentive to make the swallow.