What more could you ask?

  While I am raging on about the perfect foods, I really must touch upon fennel.  Fennel is one of those grand things that a lot of folks do not use regularly.  It is rare to find someone who casually mentions that they eat fennel root, greens or seeds.  I do!  To be truthful here, I regularly use the seeds and leaves.  The bulb has not been in my diet simply because I have never managed to have one large enough to use...until now. 

  A "volunteer" fennel plant came up in the basil garden.  Since this is, indeed, an herb garden, I allowed the thing to grow where it sprouted. And grow it did!  This is a fine specimen of a fennel root!  The fan is huge being much larger than my hand!  As I said, the leaves and seeds find their way into my diet almost daily.  I love the spicy sort of licorice or anise taste that they give salads, soups and teas.  Now that I have a root or bulb to experience, I shall have eaten all parts of this plant!  The plan is to have Darling Daughter prepare some exquisite dish with the bulb!  She is coming to visit and loves to cook so it is the perfect time to harvest the fennel.  

The tall plant with the yellow blossoms in the center of the picture is fennel.

  Fennel, for those who are not familiar with the herb, is quite the interesting addition to the garden.  As I mentioned, it has a taste that is sort of like a cross between licorice and anise.  (Licorice in this instance being the plant and not the black jelly bean nastiness.)  I use the seeds a good bit in tisanes.  Fennel has properties that can help settle the stomach and help with respiratory ailments.  There are also claims that it can help with some vision problems.  The feathery leaves can be added to salads to give them a little "punch" of spiciness!   That spicy aroma actually fills the area around the plants in the garden.  The slightest breeze tells you just when you are near the plants!  So if this appeals to you, by all means, sow a few seeds!  You might be pleasantly surprised at how easy this plant is to grow and how lovely it is in the garden.  From the bright green, feathery leaves to the yellow blossoms, it is gorgeous! (And tasty!)