what does fennel taste like? is it in the onion family? I don't know if I have seen it in the produce area or not. Actually I don't know what it looks like either.
Had an omelet for lunch, some v8 juice, about 3 big mugs of coffee! need to get going the day is flying by already. need to do laundry iron my uniforms etc. run by the bank, make a deposit, go to the store for a few items.
I just sit here in my jammies not really wanting to do any of that.
jeff left this morning to drive to texas to take back his new classical guitar. It arrived last week and has problems so it needs to be fixed before he accepts it. Already paid for but can return it if it doesn't work out. The guitar is beautiful and has a great sound for most of the strings, notes but has troubles with buzzing on certain strings, and notes. needs to be adjusted, hopefully that will fix the problem. IT is a 4 1/2 hour drive one way so he will be tired by tonight.
It is cold in the house...burr. must be cold outside.
bizi
I think I have lost a couple of pounds already this week.

Fennel
 

Bizi,

On this garden forum, the taste a fennel is described like this:
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load...250819153.html
Here is a picture:
http://www.schreiberandsons.com/fennel.html

Here is it is in a salad on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A3ddrmXEJQ
Fennel & Arugula Salad


Mari

thank you mari. Hope you are sleeping...
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

Fennel preparation, taste, etc
 

Dear Bizi

fennel is the same plant family as anise, but the part you eat is a bulb which is structured similarly to an onion (layers) and you can cut it that way.

anise extract and anise seed are used in food/medicine and have a potent aroma. fennel seed tastes very similar to anise seed, but it is a good bit less sweet and not as pungent or potent.

we eat fennel plain raw as well, as an appetizer or snack. you quarter them, and then to eat them, you take off one layer at a time, till you get to the heart. you can also put some salt, pepper and olive oil in a saucer and dip it. some ppl add balsamic vinegar.

if you are serving crudites with dip, fennel will do fine on the tray along with the other raw veggies.

You can also make a salad just by quartering, then cross-slicing the quarters (the way you might cut an onion into quarter-rings) and toss it with the same condiment as above... or experiment to your liking.

second note. fennel bulbs are gender-specific but they are not labeled, you have to recognize them. generally, the rounder bulgier ones are female, and those are better for eating raw. the male bulbs are slimmer/flatter and better for cooking. this is for optimal flavor and texture, but either one is enjoyable raw or cooked. most of the time we do not bother with the gender distinction, i am just adding it fyi.

the stems are not sweet and very fibrous... we cut away any stubs. however, if stems/leaves are present, the leaves (feathery stuff) are nice chopped and you can freeze them. or you can munch them while you cook - i do that. i personally like those with garbanzo salad or to top some soups. you can use the tender celery leaves that way too but the flavors are very different.

i personally do not find that the taste of either fennel or anise comparable to that of licorice. the type of sweetness is rather different - licorice is very sweet and has a bitter backdrop - anise is sometimes added to pure licorice to aromatise it, and balance out the bitter. (i prefer eat anise-aromatized licorice.) this refers to real, pure licorice from the root. the so-called "licorice" sold in the US in bags of black or red plasticky gummy sticks does not taste anything like real licorice and it may not even contain any at all.

crushed fennel seed infusion makes a good digestive, and eating the seeds or the fruit is helpful for digestion. you will often find fennel seeds in the crunchy digestive mix given at the end of the meal, at Indian restaurants.

waves

Dear Bizi

i forgot to say congratulations on your weight loss! :)

waves

thank you for the time to explain and describe fennel. I will have to try and find it. Went to the store to pick up some paper napkins and picked up some gumbo, had that for dinner very good. yummy!Jeff won't be home for a long while, he has not called yet and it is a 4 1/2 hour ride back. hopefully he will get back before midnight.
I am getting ready to iron my scrubs so off I go.
bizi thanks again both mari and waves.

jeff just called and is going to stop to eat something and head back. He was successful in getting his new guitar fixed and to his liking.So Yeah!!!!!
he is happy with his new classical guitar...finally! he waited so long for it.
bizi

Bizi,

That is good that Jeff is on his way home. Keep taking care.

M

Waves,
I bought some fennel. I think I bought the flat kind. I remember when my parents lived over seas for a little while they used to eat fennel. I had not heard about the male / female fennel until you spoke about the two.


I bought fennel seed as well because we had been talking about it here and they happened to have it in the store.

I will tell hubby to save the fennel until I can talk to him about how to fix it.

Mari

bizi
 

great news about Jeff's guitar and your weight loss
bobby