Ricci Dark Chocolate Coated Licorice
OK, I have to come clean. I’m a sucker for licorice. Strange thing is, the rest of the family hate it with a vengeance, which of course means more for me. Boo hoo.
When I was a kid, licorice came in two kinds: as a long rope, about a metre of it, bought from the school canteen and guaranteed to leave you bloated and black of tongue for the rest of the day. The other way was chocolate bullets – milk choc coated little pieces about an inch long, bought from the local deli for one cent each.
And at this point I must digress. In Australia, as in the rest of the world, regional differences determine the term for the convenience store. Here in South Australia, it’s a deli – which is short for Delicatessen – a place for buying lollies, tissues, the things you ran out of, and where truckies stop for sandwiches and sticky buns at lunch time. The place that’s open for extended hours. In eastern Australia they are called “Milk Bars” (go figure). In the rest of the world it’s the mini-mart, the 7-eleven… and so on.
When I was a kid we would take 20 cents of pocket money and go pick from the lolly counter – a few of those at two for a cent, a few of those at one cent each… the 2 cents each stuff was way extravagant, you never got your moneys worth from those. Twenty cents was enough to ensure a sugar high lasting a whole day, and feeling slightly sick for much of that time as well.
When I were a lad, chocolate bullets featured high on the list. They were cheap, and chocolate, and licorice. What more could anybody ask for?
Imagine my surprise, then, when the lady of the house came home with Ricci Dark Chocolate Coated Licorice. Maybe she likes me! After all, nobody else in the house will touch it. I’ve never heard of the manufacturer: Ricci Remond Chocolate Co – but they are Australian and from what I can find seem to have been around for some time. They have no web site, so it’s hard to find more about them.
Anyhow – the licorice!
The picture does not quite do justice to the sheer size of these pieces. They are huge – about 4 cm (1.5 inches) long, and the thickness of my little finger. The chocolate bullets of my youth were mere babies compared to these. As you can also see – there have been no glazing agents used, and being packed in a plain bag they are quite discoloured from being knocked about. No matter, it’s the taste that counts.
And here, I have to declare that the chocolate is a bit of a disappointment. There is plenty of it, but for being “dark” it is only 47%. And the licorice flavour tends to dominate. The licorice, though, is good. Very nice, not too sweet, and not too black. I could make myself seriously ill on these.
Given that I’m the only one in the house that will eat these, I can see that the huge 300 g pack is going to last me a long time.
Information
- Contains dark chocolate (47% cocoa solids).
- Filed under australia, dark chocolate, liquorice, ricci.
how do i buy Ricci chocolate licorice
We bought these in a supermarket. In Australia, try Woolworths. Or look up Ricci Remond Chocolate Co in the Sydney phone book and give them a call (they have no web site that I could find).
I’ve had something very similar to that but under the Darrel Lea brand name. Do you think they’re the same? http://www.flickr.com/photos/typetive/3036154353/
I can’t relate at all to the licorice aspect of this review, being firmly in the “no thanks” court myself… but oh, the days of picking and choosing lollies from the local milk bar/petrol station/wherever. For me, it was more like 5c each… and I remember being partial to Cobbers.
*Cue little kid’s voice, after dumping a pile of coins on the counter* What can I get for thiiiiis much?
Where can I buy Ricci licorice (without the chocolate). It is only in Australia?
As far as I know – only in Australia.
I have been eating these for a long time and all of a sudden they have disappeared from the shelves Oct 2010. Please when will I be able to buy them again
Its available here in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. just bought them from Cold Storage. they’re having Aussie food product fare and Ricci’s licorice is a best buy!
Ricci is a branding name under which Darrell Lea Chocolates sell their products to newsagancies, pharmacies and export markets. They’re all made in Sydney Darrell Lea factory so it’s just a different packaging, otherwise theproduct is the same.
They look just like what we bought in Tasmania at Coles. They are wonderful, how do you get more in the US?
You might be able to order them on-line from Darrell Lea (which own the Ricci name).
These are the best! Though trying them before reading your blog I would tend to disagree. I know that the dark chocolate isn’t even 70%. But it still compiments the liquorice in a positive way increasing the overall quality and taste. But I’m not saying I don’t like plain liquorice but I do like chocolate. Go Aussie Chocolate Industry!
I and my family really enjoy this dark chocolate – coated – Licorice . Our local IGA doesn’t stock it now . I live in Heathridge Western Australia , can you tell where I can buy it near here please ?
Love the Dark- chocolate- coated- Licorice . Where can I buy it around Heathridge Western Australia please. Thank you , Norman.
It seems Darrell Lea has dumped the Ricci licorice brand. What a damn shame! Much better than the gluggy tooth sticking stuff under the Darryl Lea name. Cannot obtain Ricci any where. Sadly it is gone and a message to Darrell Lea “SO AM I”