Anise Cookies

    

     This is a familiar recipe from my wife's family.  I honestly cannot remember having these cookies growing up.  Anise wasn't a staple in our house but I became very familiar with it while working at a Greek restaurant back in Atlanta.  You see this spice used frequently in Mediterranean cuisine, even though the plant did not originate from that area of the world.
     The first recorded appearance of this plant was in Asia.  Not long after it became a commonly traded product in the local markets, Anise made it's way into Europe, Northern Africa, and eventually North America.   
     A part of my wife's family originates from Sicily.  This is a recipe that my mother-in-law had passed down to her over the years.  My wife always loved these cookies and triggers happy memories of passed holidays so this year, she decided to get the recipe from her mom and make them herself. 
     I've tried to do a little research on the history of Anise Cookies but you can't find a lot.  It's traditional to the country of Italy, specifically Sicily.  All that I've found is that they have a long history in Sicily and that's about it.  There are a couple variations on how they originated but nothing really stands out as the actual truth.  So for now, we can live with the fact that it's an old, traditional, Italian recipe and leave it at that.
    

     Star Anise is used in savory and sweet applications.  The most common flavor application that I've used is Ouzo.  Ouzo is a Greek aperitif, for anyone that's never tried this beverage, it's extremely strong in both the alcohol content and anise flavor.  I used ouzo to deglaze my saute pans after searing cheese, or in the poaching liquid for Salmon or Halibut. 
     It was also used for medicinal purposes. Before modern medicine, it was primarily used to soothe upset stomachs or any intestinal complications. There are other medicinal applications but since this is a food blog, I'll leave that knowledge up to you if you choose to research it.
     For the sweet side, the only experience that I have with this are my wife's cookies.

     For this recipe, Lauren used Anise Extract but we had to add a lot more extract than what the recipe called for.  That's when it hit us that Anise Oil may have been the way to go.  Extracts are made with an alcohol base, which is the reason why extracts can dry out quickly if left out.  The alcohol will also take away from the flavor as well.  Oils permeate recipes thoroughly so the end result can be very strong if you're not careful.  As a matter of fact, if you haven't used flavored oils before, give it a shot and let me know what you think.
     If you have a chance to try one of these anise flavored, glazed Italian cookies, don't hesitate.  They're a great little treat.