Anise: The spice transforming holiday and everyday meals

Anise is a spice that reminds us primarily of the Christmas season. Its intense aroma pairs wonderfully with gingerbread, biscuits, and compote from dried fruits. Many chefs consider it one of the most important spices for fish stock. Anise certainly deserves to be used in the kitchen all year round.

Anise is one of the oldest spices in the world, originating from the Mediterranean region. As early as ancient Egypt, its properties were appreciated, as confirmed by the preserved "Ebers Papyrus" from 1550 BC, which attribute it with the ability to neutralise poisons. In Greece and Rome, it was popular, and thanks to the Benedictines, it reached Poland in the Middle Ages, where it found application in the kitchen as an addition to both sweet and savoury dishes.

The varied properties of anise mean it is used in many cuisines, both as a spice for meats and delicate beverages. In Poland, it is primarily used for gingerbread, fruitcakes, liqueurs, marinades, or flavouring beverages. It is often combined with red cabbage, pumpkin, and beetroot. Its culinary potential also increases as an addition to popular mulled wines and winter teas. Anise will enhance the flavour of various marinades, especially for game and pork. It is worth flavouring fruit compotes with it (especially those made from dried apples, pears, and plums), as well as jams and preserves.

Anise seeds are hard and very intense in taste, which makes them unsuitable for direct consumption. Therefore, the spice should be added before baking, frying, cooking, marinating, or pickling. It is best used in whole seeds, as they quickly lose aroma once ground.