Flavor: Aniseedy/Warming/Bittersweet
Major Flavour Compound: Anethole
Parts Used: Fruits
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a hardy perennial of the carrot family, occurring as wild bitter fennel and cultivated sweet fennel. Its flavor is aniseed-like, warming, and gently bittersweet, driven mainly by anethole, with bitter notes from fenchone and fresh accents from limonene and pinene. Native to the Mediterranean, fennel has been valued since antiquity in Greek, Roman, and Indian traditions and is now produced largely in India. The spice is used mainly as dried fruits (“seeds”) and pollen, featuring prominently in Italian, French, Chinese, and South Asian cuisines. Grinding or lightly dry-toasting releases its aromatic oils and enhances nutty depth.
