Jacqueline Soule here with another delightful herb you can plant now in your winter garden – anise.
The fragrant anise plant has a long history of use. Pictures of it have been found in ancient Babylonian carvings, Egyptian tombs, and Roman ruins. Ancient uses were perhaps medicinal as well as ornamental. We know that by the Middle Ages anise was used in cooking, medicine and mouse traps.
Anise seed and fresh leaves are used to promote digestion and to relieve stomach upsets. An infusion (tea) of the seeds has been shown to increase glandular secretions, including gastric glands, sweat glands, and mammary glands. Anise has mild expectorant qualities, thus it was once used in asthma powders, and is currently used in some cold remedies. There is some indication that it is also helpful to alleviate menstrual cramps. In aromatherapy, anise properties are: digestive, head-clearing, warming, clarifying, respiratory, and muscle relaxant.
Much of the anise plant is useful. Leaves, flowers, and seed are edible, and are often used as a flavoring agent. Spice uses vary by ethnic origin, but generally the seed is used, as it is most flavorful and easily stored. If you have access to fresh anise, enjoy leaves and the edible flowers in salads or sautéed with other greens. And let us not forget anise is used to make liqueurs, including anisette.
In the 1970’s there was some concern that anise oil was carcinogenic. Those fears have since been shown to be groundless.
Star anise has a similar flavor but comes from the fruit pods of a tropical tree.
Planting and Care.
Native to the dry rocky soils of the eastern Mediterranean, anise does well in our area. Late September to November is the ideal time to plant seeds. In its homeland, anise grows after the start of their winter rains (the only rain they get).
Due to its taproot, and dislike of being transplanted, anise is generally planted from seed and rarely found for sale as seedlings. That said, if do you see seedlings -go ahead and buy some. Much quicker results.
Plant seed in well drained (sandy) soil. Keep evenly moist for the best flavor and highest seed production. Plants require at least six hours of sun and can be grown in containers at least two feet deep. Fertilizer is not necessary, but if you desire ample seeds, a flowering fertilizer, high in phosphorous, helps produce an ample seed crop.
Anise seed cleaned and ready for cooking.
Harvesting and Use.
Use anise leaves fresh in salads or as a flavoring in cooking.
Leaves may be used fresh or dried for tea or use as a culinary herb.
Seeds are harvested for use and can be winnowed with a kitchen colander or strainer.
About Jacqueline: If you live in Southeastern Arizona, please come to one of my lectures. Look for me at your local Pima County Library branch, Steam Pump Ranch, Tubac Presidio, Tucson Festival of Books and other venues. After each event I will be signing copies of my books, including the latest, “Southwest Fruit and Vegetable Gardening,” written for Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico (Cool Springs Press, $23).
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Linda here, just off the plane from a great family roots trip with my father. Hearty and strong at 87 yeas of age, we tromped though grave sites and Historical Society’s records to uncover what we could. We talked with older relatives, read through old letters, were guided by local historians. Much of the conversation happened around meal tables.
She paired the apple sauce with home made Bacon Quiche.
Though newcomers to the Sonoran Desert sometimes miss the abundant fruits, berries, mushrooms, and greens of wetter forests, one Tucson organization wants you to know the desert is full of food: You just have to know where to look for it. Desert Harvesters is a nonprofit grassroots group that promotes the harvest of native, wild, and cultivated desert foods and also advocates for the planting of indigenous, food-bearing shade trees (such as the Velvet mesquite) and understory plantings within rainwater harvesting “gardens” in the landscapes where we live, work, and play. Funds raised at these events support the group’s educational efforts in the community, including demonstrations, publications, and tasting events.
Savor the Southwest: 