Zac Tuttle, age 9, of Shreveport, La., for his question:    

WHERE DOES LICORICE COME FROM?

Licorice is a perennial herb that gives us one of our favorite flavorings. The flavoring comes from the herb's long, sweet roots.

Some pronounce the word "lick oh riss" while others say "lick er ish" or "lick rish." You can use any of the three pronunciations.

Licorice is native to southern Europe and parts of Asia. A little is grown in the United States, but more than 40 million pounds of dried licorice root must be imported into the country each year to satisfy the demand.

Licorice is used in some medicines to disguise a flavor that might be disagreeable. It is also used in some cough medicines.

Licorice is also used to flavor soft drinks, candy and chewing gum. The traditional color of licorice candy is black.

Licorice is made by boiling the roots and evaporating extract for the flavor. Substances are then added to provide color.