‘Tis the season for foraging wild fennel in Sicily. Not to be confused with the bulb fennel we have in our supermarkets in the United States, wild fennel is mostly fronds (the fern-like leaves), and it contains the best flavor when it is young. One finds wild fennel in the mountains and countryside. A keen…
Tag: finocchio
Wild Fennel Makes For A Happy Spring
Happy Spring! Nothing says spring in Sicily more than wild fennel. And today, being the vernal equinox, I want to bring attention to this fragrant, flavorful plant that grows wild all over the island, and is the principal ingredient of pasta con le sarde (after the sardines of course!). Not to be confused with the…
The Difference between Fennel and Wild Fennel
Fennel, or finocchio, as it’s called in Italian, is an important ingredient in Sicilian cuisine. It grows wild across Sicily throughout spring and into summer, and is the principal ingredient after sardines for pasta con le sarde. But wild fennel isn’t the same as the bulb fennel that we are familiar with in the US….