" Whatever excuses he might have come up with to end this little tête-à-tête before it went to a place they couldn't return from, died unspoken the moment the rich aroma of cinnamon and vanilla filled the air again, along with the scent of- "Anise?" His eyebrows lifted in surprise. "And is that... pears?"He automatically leaned over the open box, drawing in the sweet, fruity blend without even realizing he was doing it. It was the chef in him. Other people drew in air; he drew in scents.
She nodded. "Anise is traditional in some Italian baking, but I've been playing a bit with blending it with other flavors. Not everything we sell at Bellaluna's is traditional Italian, but the inspiration always comes from our roots. "

― Donna Kauffman , The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice (Moonbright, Maine #2)