If you’re expecting a story about the adorable black and white bears, that’s not the panda I’m talking about.
Panda licorice, from Finland, is the best licorice I’ve ever eaten and I’m a bit of a licorice connoisseur.
I’ve never been a black licorice fan but this stuff is excellent, all natural, almost fat-free, and all other things that are good and right. It doesn’t have that tar-like texture that so many others have and its flavour is rather mild. It used to be carried in Shoppers Drugs Mart and even Zellers but for many weeks now, it’s been gone. My local Metro grocery store carried it too but the candy department guy told me, “uh, no, um, I guess we’re not getting it back in!” Such expertise so close to home!
So where has Panda gone? Well, nowhere. The website says it’s found in “all fine grocery and health stores” which is either a lie or a huge error. I asked at two Shoppers that used to carry it and both times the women looked at me as if I had asked why they no longer stock real pandas! They had no clue.
It can be purchased online at amazon.com or if I’m ever in Finland, I suppose I could drop by the factory store. But it was just so much easier to toss a little box in with the other items in the buggy. What disturbs me is that no one seems to even notice its absence except me, and perhaps a Finnish person or two. I’ll miss you, Panda!
Bulk Barn carries it.