Date: 11:29 pm Sat Apr 13, 1996 Number : 74 of 100 From: Galen Starwalker Base : [PODS] Herbal Tips & Tricks To : All Refer #: None Subj: Culinary Herbs 20 Replies: None Stat: Sent Origin : 12 Apr 96 08:13:00 2.21.2 Harvesting fennel ----- From: Sonny Hays-Eberts : The tender leaves may be diced and used to add a hint of licorice flavor and is great to use with seafood. Fennel seed can be used with poopy seed, sesame seed, celery or dill seed on bread. The bulb of the plant is also commonly harvested, though I always let mine go to seed instead. For best flavor harvest the leaves just as the flowers are starting to bloom. ----- From: HerbalMuse@aol.com > Can anyone give me some ideas on how to store or prepare the surplus > of fennel seeds in my yard? If you intend to use the seeds in baking or other cooking, then you must collect them from the flower heads as soon as they begin to turn brown, or they will fall to the ground to re-seed. I store whole dill seed heads (as you can do with fennel) in paper bags and keep them in a cool, dry pantry in the basement. Fennel seeds are excellent with grilled or broiled fish, chicken, with tomato based soups, and of course, in breads, cakes & cookies. If the seeds have already fallen to the ground, and are not cleared away, you can expect to see the emergence of new plants in early spring. This may delight you, however you should consider where these plants will grow in relation to the rest of garden. Fennel should be grown in a bed of it's own since most herbs won't do well in its presence, and it will stunt tomatoes and bush beans. ===== 2.21.3 Using / preserving fennel ----- From: Sonny Hays-Eberts : The leaves and seeds may be dried. The leaves may also be frozen. The tastiest way i've had it is from a local restuarant, Ambrosia. A dish called fettucine Gamberi, it had fettucine (duh!) in a parmesan cream sauce with garlic, fennel leaves, parsley, scallops, shrimp, capers and fresh tomatoes. Quite tasty! Fennel has an anise or licorice flavor, and can be used to flavor cheeses, vegetables and some pastries in addition to seafood. ===== 2.21.4 Which Fennel do you have? ----- From: Sonny Hays-Eberts : There are two common types of fennel; Bronze Fennel and Common Fennel also known as Finnochio (or Florence Fennel). True to it's name, the Bronze Fennel's foliage is a dusky brown. My experience has all been with bronze fennel, which is pretty in the garden as well as useful for cooking. ==========