Anise, Pimpinella anisum, is an herbaceous annual plant in the family Umbelliferae grown primarily for its fruits which are used as a spice. The plant has a grooved stem and alternately arranged leaves. The lower leaves are round with a toothed edge and petioles which can be between 4 and 10 cm (1.6–3.9 in) in length.
How do you describe anise?
Anise has a licorice flavor that is sweet, mildly spicy, and very aromatic. This flavor is produced by anethole, an organic compound related to estragole, which produces flavors in tarragon and basil. One key characteristic of anethole is that it is very soluble in alcohol but only slightly soluble in water.
How is the flavor of anise described?
They have a sweet, fragrant aroma with a strong, licorice-like taste. It’s that strong flavor that makes anise a love-it-or-hate-it kind of spice. If you’ve ever tasted alcoholic beverages that contain ouzo, sambuca or pastis, you know what I mean!
What type of spice is anise?
anise, (Pimpinella anisum), annual herb of the parsley family (Apiaceae), cultivated chiefly for its fruits, called aniseed, the flavour of which resembles that of licorice.
What is the anise used for?
In foods, anise is used as a flavoring agent. It has a sweet, aromatic taste that resembles the taste of black licorice. It is commonly used in alcohols and liqueurs, such as anisette and ouzo. Anise is also used in dairy products, gelatins, meats, candies, and breath fresheners.
What does anise smell like?
Anise has a sweet, spicy scent, with a pronounced green note. The spicy sweet flavor we associate with licorice is due to a reverse association–licorice candy which doesn’t smell anise like on its own is usually flavored with anise oil or anethole.
What is another name for anise?
Anise (/ˈænɪs/; Pimpinella anisum), also called aniseed or rarely anix, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to Eurasia.
What flavors go with anise?
Classical pairings
- Anise and citrus fruits.
- Anise and pineapple.
- Anise and mint.
- Anise and fig, coconut or melon are all very successful pairings.
- Anise and carrot.
- Anise and coffee.
How is anise used in cooking?
The whole pods can flavor soups, like pho, stews, and braises, but they do not soften when cooked, so they cannot be eaten. They can also be used in sweeter applications, like chai or mulled wine. Ground star anise is one of the ingredients in Chinese five-spice powder.
Does anise taste like mint?
Anise hyssop (botanical name Agastache foeniculum) is a mint-like herb with leaves that taste of aniseed and smell like liquorice.
What foods contain anise?
Commonly encountered foods which contain anise include black jelly beans, British aniseed balls and “troach” drops, Australian humbugs, New Zealand aniseed wheels, Italian pizzelle, German Pfeffernüsse and Springerle, Austrian Anisbögen, Dutch muisjes, New Mexican biscochitos, and Peruvian picarones.
Is anise a spice or an herb?
It’s commonly referred to as anise seed or aniseed—all of which refer to the same Mediterranean plant that has a strong taste usually likened to licorice or fennel. It’s an herb and spice that can be found most often as a seed or in leaf form.
What color is anise spice?
Meanwhile, anise or aniseed is a small seed from pimpinella anisum plant. Like star anise, aniseed spice can be used either ground or whole for baked goods, ground meat, coffee, and even alcoholic beverages. It features brownish-gray color with a sweet, mildly spicy, and licorice flavor profile.
Can you eat anise?
Anise is likely safe when consumed in amounts typically found in food. There is not enough evidence to know if anise is safe when used medicinally. You may experience an allergic reaction to anise if you have an allergy to a related plant such as asparagus, caraway, celery, coriander, cumin, dill, and fennel.
Is anise good for teeth?
It is a tonic for teeth and gums. Chewing some whole star anise seeds is a good remedy for bad breath; it also helps to refresh, disinfect, whiten the teeth and tone the throat and gums.
What part of anise do you use?
seeds
The seeds are the part of the anise plant most often used for culinary purposes, but the stems and leaves can also be eaten raw or cooked.
What smells good with anise?
Blends Well With: Ambrette, Caraway, Cardamom, Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Clove, Coriander, Cypress, Dill, Fennel, Ginger, Jasmine, Lavender, Mandarin, Mimosa, Orange (sweet), Petitgrain, Pine, Rose.
Does star anise have a smell?
Star anise is an important fragrance material that has a characteristic anise-like odor. Although the main component of star anise is (E)-anethole, which accounts for over 90% of the constituents, the odor of (E)-anethole is different from that of the material itself.
What’s the difference between licorice and anise?
Anise and licorice have a similar flavor and smell, but they do have differences in taste. Anise tends to be spicy and a little sweet. Licorice, on the other hand, can be bitter, salty, and even sour. They smell similarly because they both have anethole, which is an organic flavoring compound.
What are the benefits of drinking anise tea?
Benefits of Anise
- Great source of antioxidants.
- Antibacterial and antifungal properties.
- Anti-inflammatory, gastro-protective, antidiabetic, and anti-viral properties.
- The ability to control and regulate blood pressure.
- Hormone regulation in females.
- Hair benefits.
- Skin benefits.
- Overall lessening of depression symptoms.
Is anise good for weight loss?
Anise also contains compounds that have been shown to boost metabolism and promote fat burning. These effects are most pronounced when anise is consumed in tea form. So if you’re looking for a little extra help in reaching your weight loss goals, brew up a cup of anise tea.