Star anise can be used in savory dishes as well as in cookies and other baked goods. On U.S. menus, the spice is most commonly found in creative cocktails as well as ethnic entrées.

Star anise is in the Inception stage. It’s considered a premium ingredient that can be found mostly on fine-dining menus and at ethnic independents.

Midwinter Night’s Dream, a winter pop-up at PHD Terrace at Dream Midtown in New York City, offers a large-format Secret Garden Sangria for groups to share. The cocktail is made with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, triple sec, lemon and orange juice, pear slices, oranges, apple cubes, rosemary, cranberry and pomegranate seeds. As a finishing touch, the sangria is garnished with rosemary sprigs, edible white and pink flowers, star anise and cinnamon sticks.