Bobbi shared a recipe with me. One of the ingredients was her personal Chinese spice mix. I wrote her and asked if she would like to share the spice mix recipe. She wrote back, “I do not mind you using my improved Chinese 8 Spice mix recipe. (Actually, I just couldn't make a decision which five to use so used all eight from the recipes I found.)"

The Chinese philosophy of balancing yin and yang is expressed in their cooking with Chinese five spice powder. The spice mixture seeks to balance the five flavors, sweet, sour, bitter, savory and salty, that defiine their cooking.

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon anise seed
• 6 to 8 whole cloves
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. I whirled this around in my coffee bean grinder for a few seconds. Store in a bottle with a tight fitting lid. Use as you would use commercial spice mixes.