Fennel – (Foeniculum Vulgare)
Availability: Limited stock
Pot Herbs:
15.5 cm round pot (seedling pot)
Potted Fennel Cost. P 80.00 and up depending on size and variety.
Fennel is a well-known cooking and medicinal herb. It is a hardy perennial native to the Mediterranean countries.
Today the fennel grows in most parts of the world.
The fennel plant has hollow stems growing from the base and feathery leaves. It can grow to be about 2 meters (6 feet) tall.
The fennel has small yellow flowers which are followed by aromatic seeds.
Culinary Uses
The whole fennel plant is edible. Fennel is especially good with white fish and pork. It is also used in pasta dishes.
The fennel bulb can be eaten raw in salads. When choosing a fennel bulb make sure it is hard and white. Rinse the bulb before using.
Cut offthe hard part in the middle and discard it. The hard middle part does not taste very good. You only want to use the white part of the fennel bulb.
Slice the rest of the fennel and add it to your salad. You may want to add some lemon juice because raw fennel will discolor quickly after it is sliced. Raw fennel has a liquorish taste.
The fennel bulb is great for cooking. The cooked fennel bulb is sweeter than the raw fennel. The sharp taste of the raw fennel is less distinctive.
Cut the fennel bulb into slices. Remember to remove the hard area in the middle. Fry in a pan with some olive oil.
Fennel bulb can also be used in soups or baked. Try some greatfennel recipes.
The fennel leaves (fronds) which have a nice feathery look are wonderful to use as garnish. Fennel leaves are also used in egg dishes or mixed with vegetables.
The fennel seeds are green or brown when they are fresh. They turn grey over time. Fennel seeds are used in sauces, meatballs, pickles, cakes and bread.
Health Benefits
- Eating fennel bulbs will help to lower your cholesterol.
- Fennel tea made from the seeds is often used during fasts because it reduces hunger.
- Fennel tea is good to drink for anybody who is trying to lose weight for the same reason.
Crush the seeds slightly first if you plan to make tea from fennel seeds.
- Fennel has a calming effect on the digestive system.
- Fennel tea is believed to increase the milk flow in mothers who are breastfeeding. It is also used to treat colic in babies, either by giving the baby a few teaspoons of fennel tea or through the milk of the mother.
- In India fennel has been used as a remedy to improve eyesight.
- Many in India use fennel seeds as breath fresheners after a meal.
- Fennel has been used to treat coughing throughout the ages.
- Fennel is a natural flea repellent. Fresh fennel fronds (leaves) are crushed and used for this purpose. Try placing fennel fronds under the bedding of your pet and see if it helps keep the fleas out of there.
As always consult your doctor if you have any concerns. Pregnant women should not use fennel medicinally.
Folklore, Mythology and HistorySince Ancient times fennel has been a symbol of courage. Roman gladiators were known to eat fennel seeds to give them that extra boost of courage before entering the arena.
During the Middle Ages in Europe fennel was used to keep the ghosts from entering the home on Midsummer night’s eve.
A fennel bulb would be placed outside the house and a few fennel seeds in the keyhole were believed to give the home the much needed protection against the evil spirits lurking about.
Fennel as part of a flower bouquet was a symbol the receiver of the bouquet was worthy of praise.
In Greek mythology fennel was sacred to the fire-making god named Prometheus. It was told he brought the fire from the heaven in a hollow fennel stalk and gave it as a gift to the humans.
Charlemagne sure showed appreciation for the plant when he in 812 ordered all monasteries and all farms throughout his empire to grow fennel.
In Ancient Greece fennel was called marathon. Marathon was also the name of the place where the Greeks won a battle in 490 BCE.
A young runner named Pheidippides ran the 42 km back to Athens to inform of the victory. He collapsed and died upon arriving. Marathon obviously received its name because of the abundance of fennel growing in those fields.
Read More athttp://usesofherbs.com/fennel