Anise, Star, Whole/Pieces
Star Anise is the dried star shaped fruit of an evergreen tree native to China. It has a strong licorice flavor and aroma. Star anise is used whole to flavor soups and some Chinese pork recipes and used ground in some poultry dishes. It is an ingredient in Chinese 5-spice. Try a whole star in a pot of beef stew! For Crafters, we now offer a new "select" grade of star anise, consisting of mostly whole stars. Star Anise (Illicium vernum) is a spice that closely resembles the anise plant in flavor, but is actually the fruit of a small evergreen tree that is a member of the magnolia family. It is native to southwest China and northeast Vietnam. Star Anise contains anethol, the same compound that gives the unrelated anise plant its flavor.
The spice is used widely in baking due to its warm, sweet flavor, and also plays a key role in long-braised eastern Chinese meat dishes. It especially compliments fatty meats such as duck and pork. In India, the spice is a main ingredient in masala cha...