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Fennel Foeniculum vulgare
Fennel in flower
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Apiales
Family:	Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)
Genus:	Foeniculum
Species:	F. vulgare
Binomial name
Foeniculum vulgare Mill.

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a plant species in the genus Foeniculum (treated as the sole species in the genus by most botanists). It is a member of the family Apiaceae (formerly the Umbelliferae). It is a hardy, perennial, umbelliferous herb, with yellow flowers and feathery leaves. It is indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean, but has become widely naturalised in many parts of the world, especially on dry soils near the sea-coast and on riverbanks.

It is a highly aromatic and flavorful herb with culinary and medicinal uses, and, along with the similar-tasting anise, is one of the primary ingredients of absinthe. Florence fennel or finocchio is a selection with a swollen, bulb-like stem base that is used as a vegetable.

Fennel is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the mouse moth and the anise swallowtail.

Etymology and history[link]

The word fennel developed from the Middle English fenel or fenyl. This came from the Old English fenol or finol, which in turn came from the Latin feniculum or foeniculum, the diminutive of fenum or faenum, meaning "hay". The Latin word for the plant was ferula, which is now used as the genus name of a related plant. As Old English finule it is one of the nine plants invoked in the pagan Anglo-Saxon Nine Herbs Charm, recorded in the 10th century.

In Greek mythology, Prometheus used the stalk of a fennel plant to steal fire from the gods. Also, it was from the giant fennel, Ferula communis, that the Bacchanalian wands of the god Dionysus and his followers were said to have come.^[1]

Appearance[link]

Fennel flowerheads

Saunf or fennel seeds used as a spice and an after-meal in India and Pakistan

Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare, is a perennial herb. It is erect, glaucous green, and grows to heights of up to 2.5 m, with hollow stems. The leaves grow up to 40 cm long; they are finely dissected, with the ultimate segments filiform (threadlike), about 0.5 mm wide. (Its leaves are similar to those of dill, but thinner.) The flowers are produced in terminal compound umbels 5–15 cm wide, each umbel section having 20–50 tiny yellow flowers on short pedicels. The fruit is a dry seed from 4–10 mm long, half as wide or less, and grooved.^[2]

Cultivation and uses[link]

Fennel is widely cultivated, both in its native range and elsewhere, for its edible, strongly flavoured leaves and fruits, which are often mistermed "seeds".^[3] Its aniseed flavour comes from anethole, an aromatic compound also found in anise and star anise, and its taste and aroma are similar to theirs, though usually not as strong.^[3]

The Florence fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Azoricum Group; syn. F. vulgare var. azoricum) is a cultivar group with inflated leaf bases which form a bulb-like structure. It is of cultivated origin,^[4] and has a mild anise-like flavour, but is more aromatic and sweeter. Florence fennel plants are smaller than the wild type.^{[citation needed]} Their inflated leaf bases are eaten as a vegetable, both raw and cooked. There are several cultivars of Florence fennel, which is also known by several other names, notably the Italian name finocchio. In North American supermarkets, it is often mislabelled as "anise".^{[5][citation needed]}

Foeniculum vulgare 'Purpureum' or 'Nigra', "bronze-leaved" fennel, is widely available as a decorative garden plant.^[6]

Fennel has become naturalised along roadsides, in pastures, and in other open sites in many regions, including northern Europe, the United States, southern Canada and in much of Asia and Australia. It propagates well by seed, and is considered an invasive species and a weed in Australia and the United States.^[7] In western North America, fennel can be found from the coastal and inland wildland-urban interface east into hill and mountain areas, excluding desert habitats.

Florence fennel bulbs

Florence fennel was one of the three main herbs used in the preparation of absinthe, an alcoholic mixture which originated as a medicinal elixir in Switzerland and became, by the late 19th century, a popular alcoholic drink in France and other countries.

Culinary uses[link]

Fennel, from Koehler's Medicinal-plants (1887)

The bulb, foliage, and seeds of the fennel plant are widely used in many of the culinary traditions of the world. Fennel pollen is the most potent form of fennel, but also the most expensive.^[8] Dried fennel seed is an aromatic, anise-flavoured spice, brown or green in colour when fresh, slowly turning a dull grey as the seed ages. For cooking, green seeds are optimal.^[3] The leaves are delicately flavoured and similar in shape to those of dill. The bulb is a crisp vegetable that can be sautéed, stewed, braised, grilled, or eaten raw.

Fennel seeds are sometimes confused with those of anise, which are similar in taste and appearance, though smaller. Fennel is also used as a flavouring in some natural toothpastes.

Fennel features prominently in Mediterranean cuisine, where bulbs and fronds are used, both raw and cooked, in side dishes, salads, pastas, vegetable dishes and risottos. Fennel seed is a common ingredient in Italian sausages and meatballs and northern European rye breads.^{[citation needed]}

Many cultures in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and the Middle East use fennel seed in their cookery. Fennel is one of the most important spices in Kashmiri Pandit and Gujarati cooking.^{[citation needed]} It is an essential ingredient of the Assamese/Bengali/Oriya spice mixture panch phoron^[9] and in Chinese five-spice powders. In many parts of India and Pakistan, roasted fennel seeds are consumed as mukhwas, an after-meal digestive and breath freshener. Fennel leaves are used as leafy green vegetables either by themselves or mixed with other vegetables, cooked to be served and consumed as part of a meal, in some parts of India. In Lebanon, it is used to make a special kind of egg omelette (along with onions, and flour) called ijjeh.

Many egg, fish, and other dishes employ fresh or dried fennel leaves. Florence fennel is a key ingredient in some Italian and German salads, often tossed with chicory and avocado, or it can be braised and served as a warm side dish. It may be blanched or marinated, or cooked in risotto.

Sugar-coated saunf used as a snack or mouth freshner

Medicinal uses[link]

Fennel seeds

Fennel contains anethole, which can explain some of its medical effects: it, or its polymers, act as phytoestrogens.^[10]

Intestinal tract[link]

Mrs. Grieve's Herbal^[11] states:

On account of its carminative properties, fennel is chiefly used medicinally with purgatives to allay their side effects, and for this purpose forms one of the ingredients of the well-known compound liquorice powder. Fennel water has properties similar to those of anise and dill water: mixed with sodium bicarbonate and syrup, these waters constitute the domestic 'gripe water', used to correct the flatulence of infants. Volatile oil of fennel has these properties in concentration. Fennel tea, also employed as a carminative, is made by pouring boiling water on a teaspoonful of bruised fennel seeds.^[11]

Carminative properties of fennel are known from ancient times, as recorded in the Latin phrase "semen foeniculi pellit spiracula culi"^[12], which literally means "the fennel seeds make blow the arsehole".

Fennel can be made into a syrup to treat babies with colic (formerly thought to be due to digestive upset), but long term ingestion of fennel preparations by babies is a known cause of thelarche.^[13]

For adults, fennel seeds or tea can relax the intestines and reduce bloating caused by digestive disorders^{[citation needed]}.

Eyes[link]

In the Indian subcontinent, fennel seeds are also eaten raw, sometimes with some sweetener, as they are said to improve eyesight.^{[citation needed]} Ancient Romans regarded fennel as the herb of sight. Root extracts were often used in tonics to clear cloudy eyes. Extracts of fennel seed have been shown in animal studies to have a potential use in the treatment of glaucoma.^[14]

Blood and urine[link]

Fennel may be an effective diuretic and a potential drug for treatment of hypertension.^[15][16]

Breastmilk[link]

There are historical anecdotes that fennel is a galactagogue,^[17] improving the milk supply of a breastfeeding mother. This use, although not supported by direct evidence, is sometimes justified by the fact that fennel is a source of phytoestrogens, which promote growth of breast tissue.^[18] However, normal lactation does not involve growth of breast tissue. There is a single case report of fennel tea ingested by a breastfeeding mother resulting in neurotoxicity for the newborn child.^[19]

Other uses[link]

Syrup prepared from fennel juice was formerly given for chronic coughs. It is one of the plants which is said to be disliked by fleas, and powdered fennel has the effect of driving away fleas from kennels and stables.^[20]

Production[link]

India is the leader in production of anise, badian (star anise), fennel and coriander.

Top ten anise, badian, fennel & coriander producers — 11 June 2008
Country	Production (Tonnes)	Footnote
India	110,000	F
Mexico	49,688	F
People's Republic of China	40,000	F
Iran	30,000	F
Bulgaria	28,100	F
Syria	27,700
Morocco	23,000	F
Egypt	22,000	F
Canada	11,000	F
Afghanistan	10,000	F
World	415,027	A
No symbol = official figure, P = official figure, F = FAO estimate, * = Unofficial/Semi-official/mirror data, C = Calculated figure A = Aggregate (may include official, semi-official or estimates); Source: Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic And Social Department: The Statistical Division

Similar species[link]

Many species in the family Apiaceae (formerly Umbelliferae) are superficially similar to fennel, and some, such as poison hemlock (see below), are toxic. It is therefore unwise, and potentially extremely dangerous, to use any part of any of these plants as a herb or vegetable unless it can be positively identified as being edible.

Dill, coriander and caraway are similar-looking herbs, but shorter-growing than fennel, reaching only 40–60 cm; dill has thread-like, feathery leaves and yellow flowers; coriander and caraway have white flowers and finely divided leaves (though not as fine as dill or fennel) and are also shorter-lived (being annual or biennial plants). The superficial similarity in appearance between these may have led to a sharing of names and etymology, as in the case of meridian fennel, a term for caraway.^[21]

Cicely, or sweet cicely, is sometimes grown as a herb; like fennel, it contains anethole, and therefore has a similar aroma, but it is lower-growing (to 2 m), has large umbels of white flowers, and its leaves are fern-like rather than threadlike.

Giant fennel (Ferula communis) is a large, coarse plant, with a pungent aroma, which grows wild in the Mediterranean region and is only occasionally grown in gardens elsewhere. Other species of the genus Ferula are also commonly called giant fennel, but they are not culinary herbs.

The most dangerous plant which might be confused with fennel is probably hemlock (poison hemlock). Hemlock tends to grow near water or in consistently moist soil, is tall (0.75 – 2 m), has purple blotches on the main stem, and is heavily branched, with small umbels of white flowers. A useful test to distinguish between it and fennel is to crush some leaves and smell them. Fennel smells like anise or liquorice, whereas the smell of poison hemlock is often described as mouse-like or musty. But take care: coniine, a toxin contained in poison hemlock, can be absorbed through the skin, so do not do this "smell test" with bare hands (and avoid touching your eyes or mouth) unless you can wash them immediately afterwards.

Fennel is found growing, in North America, in the same habitat and alongside natives osha (Ligusticum porteri) and Lomatium species, useful medicinal relatives in the parsley family.

Lomatium (which closely resembles hemlock, and can be very difficult to distinguish from it) is an important historical food plant of Native Americans, known as biscuit root. Most Lomatium species have yellow flowers, like fennel, but some are white flowered and closely resemble poison hemlock. Most Lomatium spp. have finely divided, hairlike leaves; their roots have a delicate rice-like odor, unlike the musty odor of hemlock. Lomatium species tend to prefer dry rocky soils devoid of organic material.

Osha, Ligusticum porteri, has white flowers and finely-divided leaves, similar to poison hemlock, but not as fine as fennel or dill. The leaves are intensely fragrant with a "spicy celery" odor, unlike the musty or "mousy" smell of poison hemlock, but care should be taken in checking this characteristic, as the fresh juice (of the roots) is astringent and can cause blistering.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Foeniculum vulgare

• Fennel in nutrition, health, cooking
• What Are Fennel Seeds and Why You Should Use Them

Mary Ann Esposito is an American chef and television host of Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito, which started in 1989 and is the longest-running television cooking program in America.^[1][2] Esposito has published over a dozen cookbooks^[1].

Personal life[link]

Mary Ann Esposito was raised in Buffalo, New York.^[2] Her mother was a dietician.^[3] Her grandmothers, both professional chefs, moved to the United States from Italy in the 1890s. Her paternal grandmother owned a butcher shop in Fairport, New York and her maternal grandmother lived in Buffalo, where she owned a boarding home. The latter grandmother was from Naples, and continued the traditions of her Italian household within the boarding home. The boarding home was the only house in the neighborhood that had a bathtub, and on Friday nights she would offer neighbors a bath and dinner for a quarter. While her grandmothers provided traditional Italian food, Esposito desired to eat standard foods like other children: Wonderbread and iceberg lettuce.^[2]

Esposito, who never intended on pursuing a career in cooking, learned to cook from her family. Her grandmothers made bread every day, with Esposito helping to make upwards of 20 loaves of bread a day, canning vegetables and fruits, and helping to prepare ingredients for meals. Eventually, Esposito attended college, where she would graduate with a teaching degree and become an elementary school teacher. In 1979, her mother sent her a pasta maker, and despite a lack of interest in cooking as an adult, Esposito taught herself how to make pasta dough. The following year, she and her husband Guy^[1][2] visited Italy for the first time, visiting his cousins. While in Italy, Esposito started attending a cooking class. She began learning the history of Italian cooking, region by region, and traveling to the country twice a year for cooking lessons. At the University of New Hampshire she took classes to learn how to speak Italian. By 1985 she had joined the history master's program at the university, writing her thesis about Italian Renaissance cooking.^[2]

Career[link]

Esposito started teaching cooking through the University of New Hampshire's Division of Continuing Education. In the mid-1980's she submitted a proposal for a cooking show to New Hampshire Public Television. The show was delayed production because of the small size of the television station, however, upon moving to a larger station, a pilot was filmed. The pilot was a test to not only gauge viewer reception, but, to also see how Esposito would be on camera. On the hottest day of the year in the region, the television crew came to Esposito's home in Durham, New Hampshire and the pilot was filmed. Upon airing, the pilot received great reception and the longest running television cooking show was born.^[2]

Esposito has published over a dozen cooking books about Italian cooking and entertaining. Her 1997 book, What You Knead, about breadmaking, was awarded best in category by the International Cookbook Revue and was named one of Food and Wine Magazine's of 1997.^[4] She makes over 40 public appearances a year nationally^[2] and has appeared on the Today Show, Regis and Kathie Lee, QVC, the Food Network, Martha Stewart Living Radio, and other programs.^[4] She contributed to the Huffington Post^[5] and New Hampshire Home.^[6]

Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito[link]

Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito, is a 30-minute cooking show produced for PBS by Esposito's own Mary Esposito Productions, and taped at New Hampshire Public Teleivsion. The show features Esposito's recipes and cooking tips, and visits from guest chefs. She also explores the history of Italian cooking and food.^[2] Through the show, Esposito seeks to help her viewers learn about new recipes that are "doable, authentic, and good."^[3]

When deciding what to feature on the show, Esposito has four standards: she must like to eat the food, the ingredients should be easy to find, the recipe should be something unique and new to the viewer, and should be manageable by the kitchen staff. Every episode has 20 volunteers who work on the show. An entire season of shows, generally about 32 episodes, can be filmed within two weeks during the summer, with two to three shows being filmed a day. All of food is made from scratch in the studio, with each dish being prepared in numerous batches and at different recipe stages. This allows Esposito to execute an entire recipe in a matter of minutes that might take hours to complete. All of the recipes are planned by Esponite and the kitchen staff. Volunteers gather all the pertinent ingredients from local markets and going to Boston for specialty foods if unavailable locally. Recipes are prepared the day of the show. Ciao Italia is not scripted. The television studio used for filming is loosely based on Esposito's home kitchen. The view out the window of the set is painted to appear as the view of the Oyster River, which is seen from her home kitchen. To prepare for shows, Esposito researches and tests recipes outside the studio.^[2]

Recognitions[link]

A scholarship foundation named after and maintained by Esposito awards scholarships for students seeking financial aid to study culinary arts.^[7] Esposito was awarded an honorary degree from St. Anselm College.^[4] She has received the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Culinary and Cultural Arts of Italy by the Order Sons of Italy in America. She is in the Hall of Fame for the Italian Trade Commission.^[4]

Publications[link]

• Celebrations Italian Style: Recipes and Menus for Special Occasions and Seasons of the Year. Hearst Books: New York (1995). ISBN 0-688-13038-0
• Ciao Italia. Morrow Cookbooks: New York (1991). ISBN 0-688-10317-0
• Ciao Italia--Bringing Italy Home. ISBN 0-312-28058-0
• Ciao Italia Family Classics: More than 200 Treasured Recipes from 3 Generations of Italian Cooks. St. Martin's Press: New York (2011). ISBN 0-312-57121-6
• Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites: Quick and Delicious Recipes from an Italian Kitchen. St. Martin's Press: New York (2009). ISBN 0-312-37769-X
• Ciao Italia in Tuscany: Traditional Recipes from One of Italy's Most Famous Regions. St. Martin's Press: New York (2003). ISBN 0-312-32174-0
• Ciao Italia in Umbria: Recipes and Reflections from the Heart of Italy. St. Martin's Press: New York (2002). ISBN 0-312-30329-7
• Ciao Italia Pronto!: 30-Minute Recipes from an Italian Kitchen. St. Martin's Press: New York (2005). ISBN 0-312-33908-9
• Ciao Italia Slow and Easy: Casseroles, Braises, Lasagne, and Stews from an Italian Kitchen. St. Martin's Press: New York (2007). ISBN 0-312-36292-7
• Mangia Pasta!: Easy-To-Make Recipes for Company and Every Day. Morrow Cookbooks: New York (1998). ISBN 0-688-16189-8
• Nella Cucina: More Italian Cooking from the Host of Ciao Italia. Morrow Cookbooks: New York (1993). ISBN 0-688-12151-9
• What You Knead. Morrow Cookbooks: New York (1997). ISBN 0-688-15010-1

References[link]

1. ^ ^{a b c} Annie B. Copps (2008). "Dinner with Guy and Mary Ann Esposito". New England is Delicious. Yankee. http://www.yankeemagazine.com/blogs/foodblog/maryannesposito. Retrieved 25 February 2012. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Margaret Anne Paine. "A Taste of Italy". Features. University of New Hampshire. http://unhmagazine.unh.edu/sp00/maryannsp00.html. Retrieved 25 February 2012. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "An Interview with Mary Ann Esposito of Ciao Italia". Proud Italian Cook. 2010. http://prouditaliancook.blogspot.com/2010/01/interview-with-mary-ann-esposito-of.html. Retrieved 25 February 2012. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Loraine Pavich (2010). "Exclusive Interview: Celebrity Chef Mary Ann Esposito – Host of ‘Ciao Italia’". News & Events. Italia Living. http://www.italialiving.com/articles/food-wine/an-interview-with-celebrity-chef-mary-ann-esposito/. Retrieved 25 February 2012. 
5. ^ "Mary Ann Esposito". Huffington Post. 2012. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-ann-esposito. Retrieved 25 February 2012. 
6. ^ Mary Ann Esposito (2010). "Home Cooking with Mary Ann Esposito". New Hampshire Home. http://www.nhhomemagazine.com/home/945184-421/home-cooking-with-mary-ann-esposito-homemade.html. Retrieved 25 February 2012. 
7. ^ "JWU Announces Winner of First Mary Ann Esposito Foundation Scholarship". News & Events. Johnson & Wales University. http://www.jwu.edu/content.aspx?id=37558. Retrieved 25 February 2012. 

External links[link]

• Official website