A fragrant organic compound that gives anise, fennel, and licorice their distinctive sweet licorice-like flavor and odor.
From 'anet' (dill) + '-ol,' a suffix denoting an alcohol functional group in organic chemistry. The compound occurs naturally in the essential oils of aromatic plants.
Anethol is almost magical in how it works—it's the same molecule whether it comes from anise, fennel, or licorice, which proves that flavor is purely chemical, not about the plant itself, and could theoretically be made in a laboratory!
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