Festive Crafts & Star Anise

Festive Crafts & Star Anise

It’s 1st December and time for our monthy check in with the lovely Barbara Wilkinson, our Consultant Medical Herbalist.

With the festive season just around the corner, Barbara gave us some wonderful Christmas craft ideas – from making your own wreath using willow twigs – to a simple table decoration idea using a silver or gold marker pen and fresh bay leaves.

Star Anise

This wonderfully aromatic, star shaped seed pod is harvested from the evergreen Illicium verum tree and is often used in Chinese cooking.

In fact, it is one of the principal ingredients in Chinese 5 spice powder!

But Star Anise also has trememdous health benefits as it is rich in powerful bioactive compounds – and is particularly beneficial at this time of the year!

It is antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral and is easy to incorporate into your cooking.

Star Anise has a distinct licorice aroma and a taste similar to fennel.

Why not steep a pod in a mug of hot water and enjoy a refreshing drink which will help keep the bugs away!