The Science of Spice

Flavour Group | SWEET WARMING PHENOLS | Anise 89

BLENDING SCIENCE

The unmistakable herby liquorice flavour of anise derives from the powerful anethole compound. Spice pairings

can be made through the other, more subtle compounds – anisyl alcohol for its hints of cherry, vanilla,

and chocolate, as well as estragole and traces of pinene and limonene.

FOOD PARTNERS

Celeriac Add ground anise to a rich

dressing for celeriac remoulade.

Potatoes Fry chopped onions

with whole anise, curry leaves, and

mustard seeds to flavour a potato

and pea curry.

Fish Stir a teaspoonful into a South

Indian-style coconut fish soup or

tomato-based Mediterranean fish stew.

Pork Add the toasted seeds to

sausage meat used for meatballs

or stuffing.

Fruit Incorporate the seeds into

a sweet pastry dough for a lemon,

quince, or apple tart, or fry them in

a batter for apple or banana fritters.

RELEASE THE FLAVOUR

Anethole dissolves in alcohol and oil but

not in water. Fry gently in oil or other fats

before mixing into the rest of the dish,

or use alcohol (e.g. from rice wine or

fermented soy sauce) in a liquid-based

dish to disperse.

Kitchen

creativity

mix with liquorice-

tasting spices or

other penetrating

flavours:

liquorice has

similar flavour,adding

eucalyptus cineole and

sweetness

bay contributes

a fresh, penetrating

herbiness

pair with spices

that have

similar tastes:

vanilla adds

creaminess as

well as sweetness

cocoa flavour

contributes earthy

bittersweet notes

enhance woody

notes with

another pinene:

black pepper

also brings a

gentle pungency

combine with other

sweet or liquorice

flavours:

nutmeg contains

dipentene, and is

sweetly warming

fennel enhances

the liquorice character

thanks to its estragole

and anethole

Anise is most frequently used to flavour sweet bakes, but has many savoury applications

as well. Anise and fennel seeds are largely interchangeable in Asian cooking. If using

an anise-based liqueur, add the lightest drizzle to avoid overwhelming a dish.

ESTRAGOLE

liquorice | warming |

woody

PINENE

woody | spicy |

camphorous

ANETHOLE

sweet | medicinal |

fennel-like

BLENDS TO TRY

Try these recipes for classic blends

featuring anise, or why not adapt

them with some blending science?

Burmese garam masala p48

Shandong spice bag p58

Nanjing spice bag p59

The sweetness compound

Anethole comprises up to 90 per cent of the flavour oils in anise and

conveys the spice’s liquorice flavour. The compound also excites the

sweetness receptors on human taste buds, making it sweeter than

sugar – but without the calories. It is no surprise, then, that anise

has long been the spice of choice for flavouring sweet confectionery

and liqueurs, especially before the ready availability of sugar.

13 times

sweeter

than sugar

Alcohol Oil

ANISE

An

ANISYL ALCOHOL

sweet cherry | vanilla

| floral

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