Anise

Anise(/ˈænɪs/;Pimpinella anisum), also calledaniseedor rarelyanix,is aflowering plantin the familyApiaceaenative to the easternMediterranean regionandSouthwest Asia.
The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, such asstar anise,fennel,liquorice, andtarragon. It is widely cultivated and used to flavor food, candy, and alcoholic drinks, especially around theMediterranean.
The name "anise" is derived viaOld Frenchfrom the Latin wordsanīsumoranēthumfrom Greekἄνηθονánēthonreferring todill.
An obsolete English word for anise isanet, also coming fromanīsum.
Anise is anherbaceousannual plantgrowing to 60–90 centimetres (2–3 feet) or more. Theleavesat the base of the plant are simple,1–5 cm (3⁄8–2 inches) long and shallowly lobed, while leaves higher on the stems are feathery or lacy,pinnate, divided into numerous smallleaflets.
Both leaves and flowers are produced in large, loose clusters. Theflowersare either white or yellow, approximately3 millimetres (1⁄8in) in diameter, produced in denseumbels.
Thefruitis a dry oblong and curvedschizocarp,4–6 mm (1⁄6–1⁄4in) long, usually called "aniseed".
Anise is a food plant for thelarvaeof someLepidopteraspecies (butterfliesandmoths), including thelime-speck pugandwormwood pug.
Anise was first cultivated inEgyptand theMiddle East, and was brought toEuropefor its medicinal value.It has been cultivated in Egypt for approximately 4,000 years.
Anise plants grow best in light, fertile, well-drained soil. The seeds should be planted as soon as the ground warms up in spring. Because the plants have ataproot, they do not transplant well after being established so they should either be started in their final location or be transplanted while the seedlings are still small.
Western cuisines have long used anise to flavor dishes, drinks, and candies. The word is used for both the species of herb and itslicorice-like flavor. The most powerful flavor component of theessential oilof anise,anethole, is found in both anise and an unrelated spice indigenous toSouth Chinacalled star anise (Illicium verum) widely used inSouth Asian,Southeast AsianandEast Asiandishes. Star anise is considerably less expensive to produce and has gradually displacedP. anisumin Western markets. While formerly produced in larger quantities, by 1999 world production of the essential oil of anise was only 8tons, compared to 400 tons of star anise.
As with all spices, the composition of anise varies considerably with origin and cultivation method. These are typical values for the main constituents.
In particular, the anise seeds products should also contain more than 0.2 milliliter volatile oil per 100 grams of spice.
Anise is sweet andaromatic, distinguished by its characteristic flavor.The seeds, whole or ground, are used for preparation ofteasandtisanes(alone or in combination with other aromatic herbs), as well many regional and ethnic confectioneries, including blackjelly beans(often marketed as licorice-flavored), Britishaniseed balls, aniseed twistsand "troach" drops, Australianhumbugs, New Zealand aniseed wheels, Italianpizzelleandbiscotti, GermanPfeffernüsseandSpringerle, AustrianAnisbögen, Dutchmuisjes,New MexicanbizcochitosandPeruvianpicarones.
The culinary uses of anise are not limited only to sweets and confections, as it is a key ingredient inMexicanatole de anísandchampurrado, which is similar tohot chocolate.InIndiaandPakistan, it is taken as adigestiveafter meals, used inbrinesin the Italian region ofApuliaand as a flavoring agent inItalian sausage,pepperoniand other Italian processed meat products.The freshly chopped leaves are added to cheese spreads, dips or salads, while roots and stems impart a mild licorice flavor to soups and stews.
Theancient Romansoften served spiced cakes with aniseed calledmustaceoeat the end of feasts as a digestive.This tradition of serving cake at the end of festivities is the basis for the tradition of serving cake at weddings.
Anise is used to flavor Greekouzoand Bulgarianmastika;Italiansambuca;Frenchabsinthe,anisette,andpastis;Spanishanis de chinchón,anís,anísado,andHerbs de Majorca;Turkish and Armenianrakı;Lebanese, Egyptian, Syrian, Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeliarak;and AlgerianAnisette Cristal.Outside the Mediterranean region, it is found in Colombianaguardienteand MexicanXtabentún.These liquors are clear, but on addition of water become cloudy, a phenomenon known as theouzo effect.
Anise is used together with other herbs and spices in someroot beers, such asVirgil'sin the United States.
The main use of anise in traditional Europeanherbal medicinewas for itscarminativeeffect (reducingflatulence),as noted byJohn Gerardin hisGreat Herball, an early encyclopedia of herbal medicine:
According toPliny the Elder, anise was used as a cure for sleeplessness, chewed withalexandersand a littlehoneyin the morning to freshen the breath, and, when mixed with wine, as a remedy foraspbites (N.H.20.72).In 19th-century medicine, anise was prepared asaqua anisi("Water of Anise") in doses of an ounce or more and asspiritus anisi("Spirit of Anise") in doses of 5–20minims.InTurkishfolk medicine, its seeds have been used as anappetitestimulant,tranquilizerordiuretic.
Aniseessential oilcan be obtained from the fruits by eithersteam distillationor extraction usingsupercritical carbon dioxide.The yield of essential oil is influenced by the growing conditionsand extraction process, with supercritical extraction being more efficient.Regardless of the method of isolation the main component of the oil isanethole(80–90%), with minor components including4-anisaldehyde,estragoleand pseudoisoeugenyl-2-methylbutyrates amongst others.(Alternately found by Orav et al. 2008 to be 2–6% extracted oil by weight of raw seed material, 74–94% beingtrans-anetholeand the remaining fractionestragole(methylchavicol),anisaldehydeandγ-himachalene.)Anetholeis responsible for anise's characteristic odor and flavor.
Builders ofsteam locomotivesin Britain incorporated capsules of aniseed oil intowhite metalplain bearingsso the distinctive smell would give warning in case of overheating.Anise can be made into a liquid scent and is used for bothdrag huntingandfishing. It is put onfishing luresto attractfish.