Fennel

I like growing fennel. The light green fern- like leaves have an ethereal look that contrast nicely with the other textures and colors in the garden. Rather than hiding underneath the soil, the bulbs grow right on top where I can watch them get larger each day. Fennel, as it turns out, has been around for centuries and has been used as food, medicine, herb, and even insect repellent. Fennel was planted in the temple gardens of Greece and the Greeks wore crowns of the feathery leaves in their celebrations to worship the gods and godesses. Today, fennel is commonly used as seasoning (think fennel seeds in sausage,) but it is also used as a breath freshener and digestive aid. I know vegetarians who chew fennel seeds to help combat gas! Fennel is low in calories and high in vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and iron.

When raw, fennel smells a lot like licorice, but cooking fennel makes it sweet. Fennel is adaptable in the kitchen as it can be eaten raw or cooked, eaten alone or as an ingredient in many recipes. Fennel can be steamed, sauteed, or baked. It is a nice compliment to fish. Try using the leaves as an herb instead of dill. You can add sliced fennel to onions as a base for tomato sauce. Finely chopped fennel stalk is a nice addition to egg salad. You can try fennel orange muffins. Well, you get the idea! I sell fennel bulbs at the garage farm stand, but most people don't know what it is or how to use it. To be honest, I didn't know much about fennel before I started growing it a couple of years ago. As often happens, I tried it and found I like it and have been growing it ever since.