Finnish Sweets and Their Unique Flavor

Turkish pepper, a Finnish licorice sweet, is highlighted for its distinctive and controversial flavor profile, which many describe as unpalatable. These boiled lozenges have a pleasing initial taste of licorice, but they contain a core of ammonium chloride, giving them an overpoweringly salty and acrid finish reminiscent of something far from traditional candy. The host's experience with these sweets ranged from disbelief at their popularity in Finland to a gradual, almost compulsive desire to continue tasting them, despite their horrid taste. This phenomenon raises questions about cultural tastes and the draw towards extreme flavors, challenging conventional notions of culinary enjoyment.