To understand Dutch culture, start with salty black licorice

View this email in your browser Hi all, This month, Matador is taking a close look at how the world eats candy. It's not all rainbow Skittles and Hershey's Kisses out there. Assistant food and drink editor Elisabeth Sherman recently dug into some Dutch salty black licorice and learned that the divisive taste is one of the most flavorful ways to understand Dutch culture. Elsewhere in the world, coconut is the star ingredient in after-dinner treats. Yet for a taste of candies and pastries of all kinds, it's hard to beat the best confectionaries in the US, Mexico, and Australia. Finally, it's time to reconsider the season's most contentious alcoholic beverage: pumpkin beer. Though often derided today, early colonial America might not have survived without it. Enjoy the rest of your week and sip all the pumpkin spice beverages you please, Nickolaus Hines, food and drink editor DESSERT Want to understand Dutch culture? Start with salty licorice. When I was around elementary school-age, my dad and I took walks up and down the Seattle waterfront. On the way back to the car, we'd frequently stop at a now-closed candy shop by the water. I'd get a little plastic bag full of jelly orange slices crusted with crystals of sugar, and he'd fill another bag with rounds of black licorice. He popped these nickel-sized circles into his mouth as he would any other treat, his face never betraying the flavor. One day, I asked to try one, and he handed the bag over without a word of caution. Turns out, those innocent looking pieces of licorice taste like licking the inside of a salt shaker. READ MORE: SALTY LICORICE LATEST ARTICLES DESSERT The 15 best coconut desserts served around the world DESSERTS 7 confectionaries every person with a sweet tooth should visit BEER Pumpkin beer is the most American of all beers. Time to give it some respect. NEWS New 25% Trump tariff raises the price of your favorite European wines, whiskey, and cheeses FOOD + DRINK To truly understand a country, go to the grocery store MATADOR CITY GUIDE TRIP PLANNING Where to eat in Miami It wasn't all that long ago that looking for a place to eat in Miami meant either shelling out a car payment to eat at a restaurant full of D-list celebrities or hitting a questionably sanitary cafeteria somewhere in Little Havana. But over the last decade or so, Miami has put itself squarely in the upper echelon of American food cities, with chefs from all over the world setting up outposts in South Florida. Now, the city is a lot more than just Cuban sandwiches (although there are still plenty of delicious Cuban sandwiches to be had). Miami is Thai tapas and fresh ceviche. It's prime steaks and modern Indian food. Whatever your taste — or budget — these are the must-hit restaurants while you're in Miami. EXPLORE MIAMI FOOD ADVENTURE Who Knows Where in Vietnam Two and a half weeks. 2000 km. One crash. Moderate chafing. Follow your favorite new travel host Monet Izabeth on a hilarious motorbike journey from Saigon to Hanoi. WATCH THE FILM FOLLOW US AND FIND YOUR NEXT #TRAVELSTOKE Copyright © 2019 Matador Network, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website. Our mailing address is: Matador Network PO Box 7775 #40021 San Francisco, CA 94120 Add us to your address book Need to change something? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from our newsletter. We'll be here when you need us!