About
Anise
Anise, not to be confused with
Star Anise, is sweet and aromatic with a true taste of licorice. Use it in
rye breads, cakes, biscuits and candies. It is from the same family and can
be used in much the same way as dill, fennel, caraway and coriander to flavor
fish, soups, poultry and root vegetables. Like fennel, a bit added to tomato-based
dishes will mellow the sometimes sharp taste of tomato (some cooks add a bit
of sugar to do this.) Many liquors and cordials are flavored with Anise seed.
The ground seeds lose their flavor quickly so it is best to grind the seeds
as you use them. Store the whole seeds airtight and out of sunlight.
Anise is one of the oldest spices used for culinary and medicinal purposes.
Greeks and Romans used it to aid digestion, serving it in spiced cakes. In
modern medicine it is used in cough drops and syrups as sore throat medication.
It is also used to scent perfumes and soaps. Chewing a few seeds substitutes
as a breath freshener.
