Spice – Anise
Anise Attracts Bees & Butterflies
The anise herb is known as the true taste of licorice. It is used in the making of many different and tasty liqueurs. The French pastis. the Greek ouzo, the Turkish raki, sambuca, absinthe all can attribute their distinct taste to the sweet and fragrant bouquet of Anise. Although the leaves and roots are also edible it is the seeds that are the most valued, remember this makes it a spice.
The seeds quickly lose their flavor, so buy the seeds whole and grind only just before needed. The seeds are often used as a breath sweetener; roast the seeds before chewing for this purpose. American Indians used it to help “expel the wind”. Store the seeds in a dry airtight container in the dark.
Anise Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- Image via Wikipedia
- 2 tablespoons anise seed
- 3 tablespoons rum
- 1 1/4 cups butter
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
Directions
- Place the anise seeds in a small bowl with the rum. Set aside to marinate overnight.
- In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the anise seed and rum. Mix in the egg. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and cloves; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place cookies on a greased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown at the edges. Cool for a few minutes on baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
Enjoy!
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Isn’t this what they make ouzo from. This is the best liquor if you like the taste of liquorice.
One of the traditions of my family is to serve German pfeffernusse every Christmas season. The cookies have th esweet, aromatic smell and taste of licorice but are made using anise. I love them, Christnas would not be the same without them.
These cookies are delicious!
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