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Star Anise Pods, Whole

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Vanilla Beans

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I've been making my own vanilla extract for over a decade and used to buy my beans based on reviews at a Infamous Global seller. Was never sure what I would get. Then I found this company! The beans were beautiful! Fragrant, moist but not too moist, easy to cut open to expose the seeds and each Bean was six to seven inches long. I'm a happy extract maker! 💝💃🥳

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blueberry cheesecake baked with tahitian vanilla

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Slo Food group team takes great care of their customers. Received a broken bottle of Vanilla and it was immediately handled. Received my replacement bottle within 3 days.
This extract is used to make our Tahitian Vanilla Cakes!

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Great place to get your spices

SLO Food group is the best place I have found to buy my vanilla beans, great customer service, fast shipping and very competitive prices. Thank you for helping me with my project, Vanilla extract. Thank you don young

Don Young

Whole Vietnamese Star Anise Pods

Prized for cooking and commonly used in Asia for centuries, star anise is most famous as an ingredient in the Chinese five-spice mix. Aptly referred to as Star Anise due to its appearance and flavor, this prized spice is the seed pod from the fruit of Illicium Verum, a type of evergreen shrub. The seed pods grow in the shape of an eight-point star and host similar flavor properties of anise. Whole star anise pods are not the same as anise, but because the flavor is so similar (due to the shared flavoring compound, anethole), the two are often used interchangeably in dishes.

The spice has commonly been used for both medicinal and culinary purposes. It is often present in braises, soups, stews, pickling, candying, and much more. In European kitchens and recipes, star anise is used for a plethora of baking and flavor applications: duck, tea, honey hams—you name it, star anise plays a co-starring role.

These wonderful little ninja stars of the spice world, are an amazing example of a tiny product that packs a punch and a kick. Whole star anise pods are often described as having a flavor and aroma profile of black licorice; however, they are also sweet and spicy and should be used in complimentary moderation so as not to overpower a dish or recipe.
Why buy star anise from Slofoodgroup?
How do you use the star anise you have purchased?
Each one of our Vietnamese star anise pods is handpicked and carefully sorted. Only whole, unbroken pods are used. These pods are solely picked during the second harvest of the season—the autumn harvest—because they have an inherently higher oil content. This makes the Autumn season more desirable for consumers and fetches a high premium for farmers and growers.

Star anise comes ready to use in whole star anise pod. You simply drop the little pods in your liquid, braising stock, cream, or whatever culinary medium you desire and let the flavor infuse into the dish. We recommend using cheesecloth and making a herb sachet so the pods are easy to remove and do not get lost or forgotten at the end of the cooking process. If you are making a spice mix and need ground star anise, pop a couple of anise pods in your coffee or spice grinder and give it a whirl (just make sure you clean out the coffee grounds first). Whole star anise pods grind up great in a grinder, are more flavorful when ground fresh, and have a much longer shelf life than pre-ground mixes.  

Star anise and Saigon cinnamon are also two very important ingredients in the now-popular Vietnamese dish of Pho. This dish itself, over the past several years, has become synonymous with Vietnamese culinary identity. 

*As is true for our entire line of high-quality spices, our star anise pods have been certified kosher.

Frequently Asked Questions

Star Anise is the seed pod that originates from the fruit of Illicium Verum, a type of evergreen shrub. Star Anise is a standard ingredient in Chinese dishes and one of the main flavors in the Chinese five-spice mix. It is used in popular dishes like Pho, a Vietnamese soup, as well as stews, broths, and meats.
Star anise has a mild, fragrant flavor with subtle sweet and herbal notes. Its taste is similar to licorice, fennel seed, clove, and anise seed.
Despite the similar name, Star Anise and Anise come from two different plants and regions. Their tastes are similar, but Star Anise is slightly more bitter and herbaceous.While Anise is commonly used in sweet dishes or candy, it is also used in several liqueurs and savory dishes like Italian sausage. Star anise is a staple in Chinese dishes, as well as teas, liqueurs, sambuca, and baked goods.
Star Anise is currently available for purchase at Slofoodgroup.
Star anise is not eaten by itself in most cases. However, it is perfectly safe and flavorful when added to recipes.
No, star anise and licorice are two different things. However, due to their similar flavors they can sometimes be used interchangeably in recipes.
Star Anise has a few potential substitutions in recipes. Five-Spice powder already contains Star Anise, and can be used in replace of it. Use 1½ teaspoons of five-spice powder for every 2 teaspoons of ground star anise the recipe calls for. Anise has a similar flavor, and can be used interchangeably if amounts are properly adjusted. Use roughly double the amount of Anise, since it has a much milder flavor. Allspice can be used if need be, but it is sweeter and lacks the licorice flavor.
Customer Reviews
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CW
11/07/2023
Charlene W.
United States United States

Bought as part of a gift for someone else

I have never tried Star Anise Pods. I bought these for my sister-in-law as part of a gift basket full of spices. I will say, my order was delivered quickly, prices were better than any local store and everything was packaged nicely. I will definitely order from Slofoodgroup again...I love the variety, especially for Holiday cooking and hard to find ingredients.

PM
10/05/2023
Paul M.
United States United States

Best Tea Ever!!!

I bring 1.5 cups of water to a rolling boil in a stainless steel sauce pan, toss in 5 anise stars, reduce to a simmer, cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Then sip on it hot, or let it cool and add ice and water for a refreshing cold drink.

R
12/06/2022
RTN
United States United States

Best Star Anise Pods

These dried star anise pods are the best that I have ever seen. They are indeed whole and very fragrant.

RN
12/06/2022
Rosette N.
United States United States

Best Stars Anise

These stars anise are the best that I've ever purchased. Most of them are whole, not broken up into pieces. They are very fragrant.

BV
10/29/2022
Bethany V.
United States United States

Awesome

I have used this anise to make chai and as a tea on its own, it's exactly as I hoped. I like seeing the stars in the mason jar I store them in, they look neat.