 Anise is sweet and very aromatic, distinguished by its characteristic flavour.The seeds, whole or ground, are used for preparation of teas and tisanes (alone or in combination with other aromatic herbs), as well as in a wide variety of regional and ethnic confectioneries, including black jelly beans, British aniseed balls and "troach" drops, Australian humbugs, New Zealand aniseed wheels, Italian "pizzelle", German "Pfeffernüsse" and "Springerle", Austrian "Anisbögen", Dutch "muisjes", New Mexican "bizcochitos", and Peruvian "picarones".It is a key ingredient in Mexican "atole de anís" and "champurrado", which is similar to hot chocolate, and it is taken as a digestive after meals in India and Pakistan.