FOOD RESOURCE COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES, OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
BADIAN ANISE
Excerpted from Montagne, Prosper. 1961. Larousee Gastronomique. The Encyclopedia of Food, Wine & Cookery. Crown Publishers, Inc., New York.
is the fruit of a tree of the same name having a taste of anise. It is better known under the name of star anise and is also called Chinese anise. It is used as a carminative, in the form of an infusion and in the preparation of certain liqueurs. Its taste is more pungent than that of green anise, and the essence to which this fruit owes its aroma is toxic if taken in heavy doses. Cases of poisoning, as a result of taking too strong an infusion, have in fact been known.
In India, China and Japan this plant is burned to scent the hourses; it is eaten after a meal to freshen the mouth and it is also mixed with tea and liqueurs.
Badian anise, which was brought into Europe by an English sailor at the end of the sixteenth century, is used in the manufacture of the Bordeaux anisette.
The seeds of badian anise are used in confectionery and pastry-making. In some northern coutnries it is used for flavouring bread.
