When is fennel in season?

Is fennel a winter vegetable?

Fennel is one of my winter go-to vegetables for salads, soups, pastas dishes, and risotto. It’s crunchy and refreshing but also slightly sweet. Once you start using fennel in the kitchen, you’ll realize how versatile it is in many of your favorite dishes.

Is Fennel available all year-round?

Bulb fennel is a seasonal treat that can be harvested for several weeks, but it is not a year–round vegetable in most climates.

What part of fennel do you eat?

Technically speaking, all parts of the plant are edible, but most people will find the stalks too tough and fibrous to eat. The leaves can be chopped and used to flavor salads, dressings, marinades and sauces. They tend to have a slightly more citrusy flavor than the base. The base (or bulb) is delicious raw or cooked.

Where do I find fennel bulbs in the grocery store?

If your grocery store carries fennel bulb, you should find it in the produce aisles, probably near the root vegetables. Check any specialty produce displays, too. Frequently, these are placed right where you enter the produce area.

Is fennel a fall vegetable?

Fennel is both a vegetable and an herb, depending on which variety you grow. Growing crunchy bulb fennel (also called finocchio) is easy in spring and fall, or you can keep a feathery mound of perennial fennel as a steady source of fennel fronds.

Are there two types of fennel?

There are two types of fennel. One is treated as an herb (herb fennel – Foeniculum vulgare) and one that is treated like a bulb type vegetable (Florence fennel or Finocchio – Foeniculum vulgare var. The herb type grows 3-5 feet tall with fine textured foliage resembling dill.

Can you eat raw fennel?

Every part of it is edible, from the bulb to the flowers, and it can be eaten raw or cooked. Though the stalks and leaves are edible, fennel recipes most often call for the bulb. When raw, it has a crisp texture similar to celery and a fresh licorice flavor.

Does fennel need full sun?

Fennel is a sun-loving plant, so plant it where it will receive at least 6 hours of direct sun. Plant fennel after the last spring frost. This plant can tolerate light frosts, but needs protection when young.

Is any part of fennel poisonous?

All parts of the fennel plant—bulb, stalk, and the feathery fronds—are edible, and will add texture and flavor to salads, slaws, pastas, and more. Thinly sliced raw fennel bulb adds a sweet licorice flavor and crunchy texture to salads.

Is Fennel bad for kidneys?

Consume high-potassium foods, such as fennel, in moderation when taking beta-blockers. High levels of potassium in the body can pose a serious risk to people with kidney damage or kidneys that are not fully functional. Damaged kidneys may be unable to filter excess potassium from the blood, and this could be fatal.

Is eating fennel good for you?

Both the flavorful, crunchy bulb and aromatic seeds of the fennel plant are highly nutritious and may offer an abundance of impressive health benefits. Adding them to your diet may improve heart health, reduce inflammation, suppress appetite, and even provide anticancer effects.

Does fennel need to be refrigerated?

To store fennel, trim the fronds to two or three inches above the bulb (if not already done). Wrap loosely in a plastic bag and store in the fridge for 5 days or 10 days if you’re getting fennel direct from the garden or farmer.

Is anise the same as fennel?

While anise and fennel both have a licorice-like flavor, they come from different plants. You’ll often find anise in seed form, either whole or ground, while you can buy fennel as a seed, leaves, or as the aforementioned finocchio, whose fronds, greens and bulb are all edible.

Does Trader Joe’s sell fennel?

Trader Joe’s Fresh Fennel.

Yes, fennel! This oft-forgotten herb adds a light, layered, licorice undertone to any dish. Not all grocers sell fennel, but we sure do—two bulbs to a 20-ounce pack, for $2.49 in the West & TX and $2.99 in the East. Find our fennel in our fridges.