What is Anise?

Question

What is Anise?

Answer 1

Anise or Aniseed, less commonly anís (stressed on the second syllable) (Pimpinella anisum) is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to the eastern Mediterranean region and southwest Asia. It is a herbaceous annual plant growing to 50 cm tall. The leaves at the base of the plant are simple, 2-5 cm long and shallowly lobed, while leaves higher on the stems are feathery pinnate, divided into numerous leaflets. The flowers are white, 3 mm diameter, produced in dense umbels. The fruit is an oblong dry schizocarp, 3-5 mm long.

Pimpinella species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the lime-speck pug and wormwood pug.

Answer 2

don't know

Answer 3

Anise is a spice and a fruit that tastes like black licorice.

Answer 4

Anise  (Pimpinella anisum)

     Anise bears a strong family resemblance to the members

of the carrot family, which includes dill, fennel, coriander, cumin and caraway. Many of these relatives have been described as having a licorice flavor, to some extent, but anise is the true taste of licorice— its oils are distilled into the flavoring for licorice candy (not from the herb licorice, which has a different taste).

     Anise is native to the eastern Mediterranean region, the Levant, and Egypt. The early Arabic name was anysum from which was derived the Greek anison and the Latin anisun. It is one of the oldest known spice plants used both for culinary and medicinal purposes since ancient times. There is evidence that anise was used in Egypt as early as 1500 B.C. To aid digestion the Romans enjoyed anise-spiced cakes after heavy meals and it was spread

throughout Europe by Roman legions. In the Bible there is mention of paying tithe with anise in the book of Matthew.

     The taste of Aniseed is sweet and spicy. It is one of the four great hot seeds. Anise seeds can be used whole or crushed in breads, cakes, apple pies, apple sauces, cookies and confectionery.

     You can also add Anise seeds to cream cheese, pickles,

curries and to water when boiling shellfish.  The flowers can be mixed into a fruit salad. Add the Anise leaves to fruit salads with figs, dates and chestnuts. You can also use Anise leaves as a garnish. The roots and stem can be mixed into soups and stews.

Answer 5

A fruit and a spice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anise