To the right is a fennel bulb.
Below is "sweet anise".
I needed fennel bulb, but it was labeled "Anise". I thought, "There's no way that can be anise, I've seen it before, and it's star-shaped and grows on a bush!" I even picked up the bulb and smelled it to check, but I was wary, so I didn't take it home. Turns out that many produce vendors mislabel fennel as "Sweet Anise" because of its mild licorice taste, but that it is, indeed, fennel.
Who knew?
2 comments:
what are you cooking with fennel? i'm intrigued!
btw, i learned sarvers organic farm in greensburg has a csa (community support agriculture) that you can buy shares into. for about 23 bucks a week, you get 1/2-3/4 of a bushel of 6-7 varieties of whatever the heck is in season from may-october. this sounds so great to me! (but, i know i could just buy goodies at the farmers' market, too, then, and not have to drive to gbrg every week. anyways, splitting a share is still something to consider??? i like the idea of getting a box full of new stuff to learn to try and make and love:)
I made a recipe submitted by a reader of the Rachael Ray magazine, in the "Five or Less" column. Bascially, you have to make a recipe with five or fewer ingredients (not including olive oil, salt and pepper). It's just a pork tenderloin roasted with parsnips and fennel served over wilted arugula with balsamic vinegar over top. It was tasty! And simple.
I'd love to buy a share! But I can't get to Gbg. in the summer, nor am I able to cook. That's why I use the farmers market - I can be more selective about my timeline. I love buying random veggies and figuring out what to make with them!
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