fennel seed

ground

5.0

Based on 8 reviews

portion

0.25 oz

75¢

shaker jar

1.5 oz

refill

1.5 oz

large refill

6 oz

$13

PACKAGING GUIDE

VARIANTS

whole

ground

Noted for its mild licorice flavor, fennel is warming and sweet with a slight woodsy bite. The spice is actually a schizocarp of the fennel plant, which means it is a dry fruit that splits into single seeds when ripe. The dried fragrant seed is yellow-green, oval and grooved. When using fennel for cooking look for seeds that are green in color since as it fennel ages the color dulls from green or green-brown to grey.

Despite the similarities anise seed is a different species and it should be noted that anise spice is more pungent and it imparts a stronger licorice taste than fennel. Fennel has a more grassy aroma and woody flavor with a more subtle licorice taste; it works well in savory dishes and sauces.

Whole fennel seed is found in many meat dishes. Its aromatic and warm licorice flavor adds subtle complexity to sausages as well as a mild sweetness to sauces and baked goods.

QUICK INFO

fennel seed , ground

PLANT PART

fruit / seed (schizocarp)

PROCESSING / FORM

ground

BOTANICAL NAME

Foeniculum vulgare

ORIGIN

Egypt

BOTANICAL NAME

Foeniculum vulgare

AKA

fennel

This "seed" is actually the dried fruit of the hardy perennial herb Foeniculum vulgare. Though native to the shores of the Mediterranean it has since propagated world-wide wild in pastures and along roadsides, as well as having been cultivated as an ornamental herb in gardens, its robust growth has led it to being classified as invasive in both America and Australia. Fennel seed contains the aromatic compound anethole. This gives it the licorice flavor it shares with other warming spices: star anise, and anise seed which also contain this compound.
One of the oldest known spices, uses and even stories about fennel are found in almost every age. The town of Marathon, Greece—site of the famous ancient battle in which heavily outnumbered Athenians defeated the invading Persians—is reputed to be named for the abundance of fennel in the area. "Marathon" or "marathos" is from the greek for fennel and famed Pheidippides ran to Athens to deliver the news of this victory carrying a fennel stalk.

It has also been infused as a tea to give courage to soldiers before battle; by Egyptians as insect repellent; in the Middle Ages hung over doorways to ward off evil spirits as well as added to aged meats to disguise their spoilage, and during Lent to ward off hunger during fasts.

A cultivar of fennel, called Florence fennel (also finocchio in Italian) grows into a bulb at the leaf base and is eaten as a vegetable.

CONFUSIONS

A lick of licorice
Anise and star anise are not the same spice, nor are they related species despite the similar name and flavor profile. They do both contain the organic compound anethole, which gives them their similar licorice flavor.

Fennel is another spice that contains anethole. It is a seed that is often confused with anise—due to its similar flavor profile and also to its similar appearance. Fennel seed is considerably larger and often brighter in color than anise seed. Anise seed, in addition to being smaller, also tends to have a small bit of stem "tail" attached to one end; whereas this happens only occasionally with fennel, it is much more frequent in anise seed.

Since anise seed is more expensive to produce than star anise, star anise has surpassed anise in production for anethole extraction and for commercial use in flavoring food products. Anethole is reputedly multiple times sweeter than sugar with the distinction of having a pleasant flavor at higher concentrations.

USAGE HINT

Crush lightly before using fennel seeds whole. When crushed the essential oils are released increasing the amount of flavor imparted to a dish.

QUICK FACT

In India fennel mixed with other spices and often candied is used in an after-dinner digestive aid and breath freshener called mukhwas.

RECIPES

Chicken and Apple Hand Pies

a lunch recipe using:

thyme, fennel seed, paprika (Hungarian), paprika (smoked), chipotle chile pepper

by Kimberly Dennison

ARTICLES

A JOURNEY THROUGH the SEASONS with APPLES + SPICES

through the lens with Kimberly

What if I told you that you can add apples to almost any food category and come away with a delicious recipe you can make at home. Join me on this quarterly series.

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4.8

anise seed

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Whole anise seed is aromatic and sweet with flavor notes of licorice similar to fennel, star anise, and caraway.

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4.9

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4.9

cumin seed

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5.0

cardamom

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REVIEWS (8)

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