A Measure of Star Anise

I gripped the miniature tweezers with both hands, carefully lifting a slotted half-gram brass weight from its velvet-lined box. Sheltered beneath the high glass arcade while rain drummed outside, the counter air was perfectly still. I eased the weight onto the right brass pan of the twin balance scale, watching the suspended beam tilt. On the left sat an eight-pointed star anise pod. The slender indicator needle swayed back and forth, slowed, and settled precisely over the scored center notch. Discovering that this fragrant, geometric spice shared the exact mass of a standard milled weight brought an instant, quiet delight.