Home > Cooking > Encyclopedia

	Encyclopedia
	star anise stainless steel cookware standing rib roast standing rump roast star anise Stayman apple Steinpilze Stilton cheese Definition: A star-shaped, dark brown pod that contains a pea-sized seed in each of its eight segments. Native to China, star anise comes from a small evergreen tree. Although the flavor of its seeds is derived from anethol (the same oil that gives anise seed its pronounced flavor), star anise has a different heritage--the magnolia family. Its flavor is slightly more bitter than that of regular anise seed. In Asian cuisines, star anise is a commonly used spice and tea flavoring. It's also widely used to flavor liqueurs and baked goods in Western cultures. It can be found whole in Asian markets and some supermarkets, and as a ground ingredient in Chinese five-spice powder. --Copyright (c) 1995 by Barron's Educational Series, from The New Food Lover's Companion, Second Edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst
	New Search?