Anise

• Dry Goods

Scientific Name Pimpinella anisum L. Family Parsley family (Apiaceae) Other Names Aniseed, sweet cumin Origin Eastern Mediterranean region

The sweet, bitter flavor of anise is reminiscent of licorice and leaves a pleasant taste on your tongue. Kitchens around the world are filled with the spicy aroma of anise — but the fruits are particularly popular in bakeries, as anise has been used as seasoning for bread and cakes since ancient times. Virtually no other spice is as versatile as anise. It gives soups, compote, vegetable, lentil and meat dishes a spicy sweet note, while breads, cakes, cookies and other baked goods also benefit from its characteristic flavor. Anise really shines when combined with carawya,fennel and coriendor, nise can quickly become the dominant spice in dishes, so be careful how much you add — a small quantity will usually suffice. Before adding the fruits to a dish, briefly toast them in a dry pan before crushing them with a pestle and mortar to unlock the most flavor.