Reminiscences of Childhood (Fennel)

Member Name: jaxm

Product:	Fennel
Date:	21/01/04 (79 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Extremely tasty when eaten raw, Excellent remedy for indigestion, Attractive in the garden

Disadvantages: Quite large, Shoots susceptible to late frosts

Do you remember, when you were a child, going into the local sweet shop and asking for a quarter of aniseed balls? Well, this plant, when chewed, tastes exactly like those good old-fashioned sweets.

The plant itself is quite easy to grow, but you do need a reasonable amount of room in your garden as it can grow to 6'. You may also find that it'll need protection if you have a late frost. I lost a Fennel plant last year - it was just starting to shoot, we had an overnight frost and the plant just gave up the ghost.

The plant has beautiful, light, feathery, fernlike leaves and although the flowers are a little disappointing, being small, loose yellow umbels, the plant really is worth growing for the foliage alone.

The leaves, seeds and flowers can be used in various recipes (and are recommended particularly as an accompaniment to fish) but I prefer to pull a lump off and just chew it!! Alternatively, wait until the flowers have seeded and then chew the seeds. Fennel's an excellent breath freshener and really does leave your mouth feeling tingly and fresh. The plant is an excellent natural remedy for indigestion and apparently it's good for repelling fleas!! Not sure how the latter works - I have two cats and I can't imagine for one moment they'd be impressed if I sent them out with a lump of fennel hanging round their necks!!

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