All About Fennel Seeds

What are fennel seeds? Where do you use fennel seeds? Where are fennel seeds from? Is fennel the same as anise or liquorice / licorice?

Foeniculum vulgare, Spp.
Plant Family: ParsleyOrigin: Southern Europe
We are only talking about the seeds here today - though the rest of plant is eaten and is just as tasty!

- Fennel seeds are a warm sweet spice that sort of tastes like anise/ liquorice / licorice.
- Often paired with caraway, cumin, nigella, oregano, and cloves in cooking and spice mixes.
- Considered a bridge spice - because it can tie together other flavours.
- Common spice in cured meats and sausages in Italy and the Mediterranean.
- Porchetta relies heavily on fennel seeds and also fennel pollen.
- Works really well with fish dishes.
- One of the 5 spices in a Chinese 5 spice powder.
- Common in Indian cooking and spice blends like panch poran.
- Often used as a palate cleanser after a meal in India
- Several liqueurs are flavoured with fennel, including fennouillette, akvavit, gin and absinthe.
- Fennel is not the same as fenugreek... they are completely different.