Anise

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This article is about the Pimpinella species (not to be confused with star anise)
and also, not to be confused with Japanese star anise
Anise

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Pimpinella
Species: P. anisum
Binomial name
Pimpinella anisum
L.

Anise (Pimpinella anisum, also anís (stressed on the second syllable) and aniseed) is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and southwest Asia known for its flavor that resembles liquorice, fennel, and tarragon.

Contents

[edit] Biology

Anise plant

Anise is an herbaceous annual plant growing to 3 ft (0.91 m) tall. The leaves at the base of the plant are simple, 0.5–2 in (1.3–5.1 cm) long and shallowly lobed, while leaves higher on the stems are feathery pinnate, divided into numerous leaves. The flowers are white, approximately 3 mm diameter, produced in dense umbels. The fruit is an oblong dry schizocarp, 3 - 5 mm long. It is these seedpods that are referred to as "aniseed".[1]

Anise is used as food by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species (butterflies and moths), including the lime-speck pug and wormwood pug.

[edit] Cultivation

Best growth is in light, fertile, well drained soil. Start plants from seeds as soon as the ground warms up in spring. Because plants have a taproot they do not transplant well after established, so start them where they are to grow, or transplant while seedlings are still small.[2]

[edit] Production

Top Ten Anise, Badian, Fennel & Corian Producers — 11 June 2008
Country Production (Tonnes) Footnote
 Syria 115000 F
 India 110000 F
 Mexico 52000 F
 People's Republic of China 38000 F
 Iran 30000 F
 Bulgaria 28100 F
 Morocco 23000 F
 Egypt 22000 F
 Turkey 19641
 Tunisia 9800 F
 World 496438 A
No symbol = official figure, P = official figure, F = FAO estimate, * = Unofficial/Semi-official/mirror data, C = Calculated figure A = Aggregate(may include official, semi-official or estimates);

Source: Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic And Social Department: The Statistical Devision


The essential oil of anise formerly was produced in larger quantities, but by 1999 world production of this essential oil was only 8 tonnes, compared to 400 tonnes from star anise.[3]

[edit] Uses

A few anise seeds sitting on a piece of glass.

[edit] Culinary

Anise is sweet and very aromatic, distinguished by its licorice-like flavor.[4] It is used in a wide variety of regional and ethnic confectioneries, including British Aniseed balls, Australian Humbugs, New Zealand Aniseed wheels, Italian pizzelle, German pfeffernusse and springerle, Netherland Muisjes, Norwegian knotts, and Peruvian Picarones. It is a key ingredient in Mexican "atole de anís" or champurrado, which is similar to hot chocolate, and taken as a digestive after meals in India.

[edit] Liquor

Anise is used to flavor the Bulgarian Mastika, the French spirits Absinthe, Anisette, and Pastis, the Greek Ouzo, the Arab Arak, the German Jägermeister, the Turkish Raki, the Italian Sambuca and the Colombian national drink Aguardiente. It's believed to be one of the secret ingredients in the French liqueur Chartreuse. It is also used in some root beer such as Virgil's in the United States.

[edit] Medicinal

[edit] Miscellaneous

  • In aromatherapy, aniseed essential oil is used to treat colds and flu.
  • According to Pliny the Elder, anise was used as a cure for sleeplessness, chewed with alexanders and a little honey in the morning to freshen the breath, and when mixed with wine as a remedy for scorpion stings (N.H. 20.72).
  • In Indian cuisine, no distinction is made between anise and fennel. Therefore, the same name (saunf) is usually given to both of them. Some use the term patli (thin) saunf or velayati (foreign) saunf to distinguish anise from fennel.
  • In Lebanon and Syria boiling water is poured over about a tablespoon of aniseed in a teacup to make a hot tea.
  • Builders of steam locomotives in Britain incorporated capsules of aniseed oil into white metal bearings, so that the distinctive smell would give warning in case of overheating.
  • Aniseed is the flavour of "Black Jack" gum and Nigeria's "Tom Tom" candy.
  • Anise can be made into a liquid scent and is used for both hunting and fishing. It is put on fishing lures to attract fish.[citation needed]
  • Anethole, the principal component of anise oil, is a precursor that can eventually produce 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde which is used in the clandestine synthesis of psychedelic drugs such as 2C-B, 2C-I and DOB.[7]

[edit] In Other Languages

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Pimp_ani.html
  2. ^ How to Grow Anise
  3. ^ Philip R. Ashurst (1999). Food Flavorings. Springer. p. 33. http://books.google.com/books?id=hrWuqmtwJiEC&dq=anethole&q=anethole#search_anchor. 
  4. ^ Spice Pages: Anise Seeds (Pimpinella anisum)
  5. ^ Albert-Puleo M (December 1980). "Fennel and anise as estrogenic agents". J Ethnopharmacol 2 (4): 337–44. PMID 6999244. 
  6. ^ Muller-Schwarze, Dietland (2006). Chemical Ecology of Vertebrates. Cambridge University Press. pp. 287. ISBN 978-0521363778. 
  7. ^ "Anise Oil as a Precursor for 2-Alkoxy-5-methoxybenzaldehydes". DEA Microgram Journal 2 (1 Anise can be used as antiviral, as a result of Tamiflu (R) for Influenza virus, they import it from china as an antiviral remedy.). http://www.dea.gov/programs/forensicsci/microgram/journal2004/page4.html. Retrieved on 2006-12-09. 

Sonf (سونف) Urdu

[edit] External links

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Herbs and spices
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