Seconding the beef stock and candied ginger things, but I'd also like to add that I would sometimes just chew on licorice sticks. As in actual wood ones. (Also, not a spice, but I also had a thing for horse feed pellets. m o n c h)
Liquorice is one of those things I hate unless it's sugarelly water or those Liquorice Flyers with the sherbet inside which are straight up crack
I would mix a dry unsweetened kool-aid packet with a cup of sugar and just. not add water and eat it as a snack in early middle school, usually while staying up late and binge watching anime
Twizzlers have the texture of stale rubber and are Not Good. Redvine licorice (the red preferred to the black but I do like both) especially when fresh and soft is divine.
Oh one important note: when I say licorice I mean black licorice only because we dont call anything else licorice over here. What you call red licorice would be gummy candy to us. Gummy candy is fine.
It's also important to note that what most people find offensive about licorice is the intense aniseed/anise or salmiak flavors that afaik are not necessarily present everywhere in the world. Personally I am of the opinion that aniseed has no business being in anything but star anise is allowed in masala chai, five spice, christmas spice mixes and mulled wine but then I am very opinionated about this in general. eta: star anise is also allowed because it is really cute and I will fight people about the merit of things that are cute even if they taste bad in isolation
I am already aware that this is an abomination but I just discovered I can make desert scrambled egg and I am in love.
