i mean i use a teensy amount of aniseed in my red pasta sauce. i suppose you could sub star anise, but i've never tried it.

i have a root beer/birch beer/sarsaparilla recipe i've been fighting for years that i used star anise in, but i think i might sub in fennel or aniseed because it always ends up too licoricey no matter how little i put in. here's the latest incarnation, but note it is not good

1 tablespoon sarsaparilla root bark
1 tablespoon sassafras root bark
1 tablespoon birch bark
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/2 teaspoon crushed ginger
4? sprigs chocolate mint
3? star anise pods
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup molasses

Combine everything but sugar and molasses.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 2 hours
Strain liquid through fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a large pot.
Add sugar and molasses, low heat and stir until mixture is integrated.
Put in syrup jar, refrigerate, add to carbonated water to make soda.

I'd leave out the star anise and mint entirely to begin with and slowly add them in at different quantities, because it's really easy to get mint or licorice soda. I still haven't figured this recipe out. nutmeg might be a good addition too.