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ORGANIC STAR ANISE

From organic farming

Illicium verum

Origin: China

Format: whole fruits

Where does star anise come from

Star anise originates from southwest China (Gulf of Tonkin), and is now also cultivated in Vietnam, where it is often used in tasty herbal teas. The term illicium means "attract", which could refer to the fragrance emitted by the tree. The leaves of the star anise plant are entire, lanceolate, and flowers with a white-yellowish perianth are formed in the axil, consisting of 15-20 petals arranged in a spiral. Additionally, the flower has numerous stamens and 8-12 carpels that produce as many uniseminate follicles, arranged like the rays of a star, hence the nickname "star anise".

The fruit of star anise is a woody follicle formed by 8-12 lobes arranged in a star shape (hence the name), on a peduncle called columella. Each lobe bears a seed. The active ingredient it is rich in is anethole.

Where to buy star anise

Wondering where to buy organic star anise? Terza Luna is the answer!

Star anise is one of the many online spices available on Terza Luna in various sizes. Purchasing star anise is simple and fast, just follow these steps and in no time you can enjoy it as you prefer:

• once you have selected the size of whole star anise fruits you like, you can add them to your cart
• in your shopping cart, you will find more information on how to proceed with the purchase of star anise

Prices

The formats of whole star anise available on Terza Luna are two at a convenient price:

• whole star anise 50g for 3.50 euros
• whole star anise 100g for 6.50 euros

Whole star anise or powder?

Star anise is a flower that comes from an evergreen tree of the same name, star anise, cultivated in East Asia.

You will find the product in various sizes, Terza Luna offers you whole star anise so you can choose the best preparation method yourself.

Star anise is also available in powder form, but let's see together some advantages of the whole flowers available on our online shop: the flavor of star anise will remain fresh and unchanged for a long time, and thanks to the whole flowers, you can choose the best preparation method and even grind it with minimal effort.

What are you waiting for? Try Terza Luna's organic star anise now!

Properties of star anise

Star anise is a spice, a medicinal plant, and also an element of religious rituals. It arrived late in the West, but in the East, it was used since ancient times as an imperial tribute.
Like many of the online spices we have for sale, it is an excellent digestive, has carminative action, reduces stomach spasms, and relaxes it. In very high doses, star anise has a stupefying effect with memory loss and a feeling of drunkenness. Today, it is widely used in cooking, especially in the composition of recipes or the creation of liqueurs such as Marie Brizard.

It also has a significant antiviral action, its active ingredient is used to create numerous drugs such as Tamiflu and Oseltamivir.

Star anise: recipes and culinary uses

If you are wondering how to use the spice star anise in your dishes and everyday meals, you are in the right place. Terza Luna will suggest some simple uses of star anise in your kitchens.

Many know this spice for the star anise liqueur. A fresh and unmistakable smell and taste make star anise excellent for strong but pleasant liqueurs like sambuca and anisette.

Another widespread use of star anise is that of star anise herbal teas. Its beneficial power along with its strong and intense flavor will give life to excellent star anise infusions for those who love spices with a unique and new aroma.

Star anise herbal tea

The liquor produced from this oriental spice is not the only use that star anise can boast: star anise infusion is actually known as a real panacea thanks to its organoleptic properties!

Its preparation is very simple and immediate even using the whole flower star anise format, which will make your infusion even more intense and pleasant:

• boil a proper amount of water (usually the quantity of a cup), pay attention to the temperature which should not exceed 80°C
• once you reach the recommended temperature, you can infuse 3 grams of the product using filters or tea infusers
• wait just 7 minutes before removing the star anise flowers
• now you can enjoy your star anise herbal tea

Other herbal teas with star anise

The unmistakable and strongly spiced flavor of anise can be accompanied by other ingredients that either soften or further enrich this spice: cinnamon is certainly a suitable companion to star anise, as well as honey. Left to infuse in boiling water, Chinese star anise will give the beverages it accompanies, such as Kombucha tea, a unique and particular taste. It also pairs very well with other herbs like digestive herbs to increase their beneficial properties.

Have you ever tried star anise herbal tea with passionflower? Well, if you missed this recipe, we recommend you take advantage of it to taste it: in addition to the remarkable health properties of star anise combined with those of passionflower, equally beneficial, the taste of this infusion will make your taste buds dream!

Alternatively, we recommend trying the herbal tea with star anise, cinnamon, ginger, honey, and lemon. A real panacea for colds and typical winter congestions.

The star anise and licorice infusion is instead recommended to improve digestion and fight abdominal bloating. You can create star anise-based herbal teas to your liking, choosing the ingredients and herbs that you prefer. Try, for example, with fennel seeds!

Flavor of star anise

The flavor of star anise is similar to that of anise but be careful not to confuse them: star anise is famous for its intense aromatic and sweet notes. In no time, it will envelop your senses thanks to its strong smell and decisive taste.

Its aroma is distinguished by being more pungent and more intense than normal anise. Also highly appreciated by top chefs, star anise is a very common spice but not known for its numerous uses. It enriches and gives special tones to the foods it accompanies like any other spice, but star anise can certainly boast more character and depth in taste and flavor.

Buy our star anise for sale online now!