Star Anise

Native to China, star anise has a strong licorice-like flavor and is slightly more bitter than anise seed. Use these whole pods in tea, mulled cider or wine, pickles, chutney or infuse into cream for dessert toppings.

Spices and herbs should be stored away from light, heat and moisture. However, storing spices in the refrigerator or freezer may actually shorten their shelf life and they risk picking up other food odors. In general, whole spices have a longer shelf life than ground spices. Depending on the spice and how well it is stored, a good rule of thumb is six months to a year for powdered spices and longer for whole spices and seeds. The best way to determine if your spices or herbs are still fresh is to close your eyes and sniff – if you cannot immediately tell what the herb or spice is, toss it!