Spice of the Day: Anise

Today's Spice is Anise.  Anise, considered good for digestion, Anise was common in cough drops and in flavoring homemade spirits and tonics. In 13th-century England, the tax on anise paid for repairs to the London Bridge.

Anise Cookies

Ingredients

* 1 cup butter, softened 

* 3/4 cups sugar 

* 1 teaspoon anise extract 

* 1 teaspoon lemon extract 

* 3 cups flour 

* 3 teaspoons baking powder (Yes, really. These guys will puff up. And they are supposed to be airy, almost like a biscuit, but not quite.) 

* 1/4 teaspoon salt 

* 3 eggs 

Glaze Ingredients: 

* 1 cup powdered sugar 

* milk (eyeball it, no specific measurement, you choose your consistency) 

* colored sprinkles 

Procedure

* Pre-heat oven to 350 F. 

* Beat together butter and sugar until creamy. 

* Stir in anise and lemon 

* Add eggs. Blend. 

* Add dry ingredients - blend together. 

* The dough should be almost crumbly, but when you roll it in your hand it stays together. 

* Form dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. (Try not to get much bigger than 1 inch) 

* Bake for 15 minutes.

* Cool and glaze.