How To Make An Edible Gluten-Free Halloween Necklace

**Found in InStyle Magazine, October 2010

You don't have to be a gluten feene to eat licorice!  No..out there in the world of gluten free markets and health food stores you can actually find amazing gluten-free licorice!  

For some diagnosed with CD or a gluten-intolerance it was the cake, cookies, pie and pasta that made joining the gluten-free world even harder.  For me it was black licorice.  I love licorice!  Passionately.  I do.  And when I went gluten free and was reading ingredients at markets, I saw the first ingredient in licorice: wheat starch.  Ugh bummer!  Eventually I got used to it, and stopped looking for licorice...but every now and again I would find a random brand at the market and hope it would be gluten-free.  Of course after turning the package over and reading the ingredients it wasn't.  And then I'd be disappointed all over again. I kept thinking why is there no gluten-free licorice?  But alas there is!  And with that gluten-free licorice you can make your very own candy couture licorice necklaces!! Right in time for Halloween!  It's so spooky chic!

First.  The gluten-free licorice.  My 2 favorite brands are Orgran and Candy Tree.  I have found Candy Tree Licorice at Health Smart Murray Hill NYC (they always have their flavors in stock), Amazon.com and glutenfreemall.com.  Orgran Licorice (an Australian brand) can be found at Amazon.com, glutenfreemall.com.  Both are amazing and totally different.  Orgran is a molasses based licorice and Candy Tree uses natural fruit juices.  Both taste like licorice.  Orgran licorice tastes more gourmet, but Candy Tree is great for kids!  Orgran is great for the adults.  When I was a kid I hated black licorice.  Yuck.  Now I love it and miss it!  When I buy it GF I eat the whole bag.  Therefore, I only allow myself to have it on special occasions like Halloween.

Then there is another international brand like Licorice International (GF)-Check them out.

Ok so now you have your licorice!  Let's begin the edible craft project:

What you will need:

A darning needle, a toothpick, butcher's twine, half a yard of 1/2 inch wide black satin ribbon, sharp scissors, 27 purple and 4 black licorice sticks (or any colors you desire) and 8 short Australian licorice pieces.

Arrange: Lay out the form of your necklace on the table and cut the pieces down to size.

Assemble: Use the toothpick to poke a hole through each piece of licorice, and 3/4 inch from the top.  Thread the darning needle with twine and string the licorice.  Tie a big, thick knot on each end and trim twine.  Cut the ribbon in half.  Tie each half around the end pieces of licorice and secure tightly.

Now, how super fab is this crafty spook project?  This is from Instyle Magazine from exactly 1 year ago!  Super clever!! Love it!

If anyone decides to make this delicious chic GF Licorice beauty feel free and post pictures of your GF creations!

Enjoy! xoxo Julie
www.goodiegoodiegluten-free.blogspot.com