Buying a bag of Haribo in Finland, I shouldn’t have been surprised (given the country’s love of salmiakki) that the black ones were liquorice flavoured.
And yet somehow, when I chucked a handful onto my mouth, I was.
(Not in a bad way. But definitely in a surprised way.)
When you mentioned being surprised by the liquorice flavoured black ones, I couldn’t help but think of my own experiences with local treats while travelling with my family. As a Muslim, I often have to consider the ingredients and origins of the food we eat, and it’s not always easy to find options that fit our dietary needs. I’ve found that researching local specialties and ingredients beforehand can be really helpful in navigating these situations. The parallel between a country’s cultural preferences and its economic indicators is something I have been thinking about because I’ve noticed that countries with strong local food cultures often have unique economic profiles. I wonder if the emphasis on salmiakki in Finland might be reflected in other aspects of the country’s economy or trade policies, perhaps in terms of import and export regulations or consumer spending habits.