as a kid, licorice was one of those staples that passed around when kids got together....along with ‘dots’ on paper and wax ‘soda’ bottles filled with goop.
I was never, ever a liker of the foul sticks...either black or red. in my book, candy had chocolate in it....all else was sham-candy, that you ate, only to be polite to whomever was giving it to you.
Do you realize that black licorice is in Italian sausage and spicy Thai food?