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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: flowerlady on December 04, 2005, 19:34:44

Title: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: flowerlady on December 04, 2005, 19:34:44
Had a lovely morning up the lottie today, cleared the fennel out from the plot, will have to store some.  :)

However,  the roots too look good enough to eat!!   :-\  When cleaned up they look like baby parsnips. 

Has anyone tried them?

Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: tim on December 04, 2005, 20:11:12
Parsnip like? Obviously not Florence Fennel then?
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: terrace max on December 04, 2005, 20:47:18
 ::) ;D Good work Wardy!

Problem solved:

Quote
Fennel root was used to flavor sack, which was popular in Shakespeare's day.


From http://extension.oregonstate.edu/sorec/mg/herbanrenewal/fennel.htm

Errmm ... What's 'sack'???
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: blight on December 04, 2005, 20:52:38
a sherry brand.
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: redimp on December 04, 2005, 20:56:27
And I was about to post:

Quote
SACK, n. A species of sweet wine, brought chiefly from the Canary isles.
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: terrace max on December 04, 2005, 21:00:04
..anyone tried it??
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: flowerlady on December 04, 2005, 21:06:43
Well actually, yes, it is Florence fennel!

Sirio to be precise!

Can't see why one should not eat it.  Mashed perhaps like celeriac?

Any thoughts?


Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: terrace max on December 04, 2005, 21:13:15
 ??? I must have been drinking too much sack. I'm completely confused now...
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: blight on December 04, 2005, 21:17:40
so am i. i grow two varieties of fennel: one, treated as an annual, produces the bulbuous stems one eats as a vegetable. i take it this is called "florentine fennel" in the uk. the other, a perennial growing to about 2 metres is used as a fresh herb or i use the ripe seed as a condiment. people dry the stems too and roast fish on them.
both bear the botanical name "foeniculum vulgare".
i suppose the root in either of the two plants will be rather stringy.
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: flowerlady on December 04, 2005, 23:45:59
You guys are killing me!! :D

Wardy I have my fennel bulbs already safe to use in the kitchen!!

It is simply that the tap root below the bulb is large enough to use as well!

Has anybody tried it?   ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: AikenDrum on December 04, 2005, 23:56:16
After reading this thread I've just roasted some fennel roots and it doesn't seem to have done me any haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmm !   eats his keyboard and picks a fight with the neighbours back door   :P
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: wardy on December 05, 2005, 09:42:36
flowerlady   I was tentative when I posted that remark  ;D ;D  So kept head well down.  I bet you can eat FL  - nothing ventured and all that.  Let us know what it tastes like  ;D
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: Derekthefox on December 05, 2005, 13:35:29
Well yet again you convince me to try florence fennel, so my seed list grows even longer ...

Derekthefox :D
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: flowerlady on December 05, 2005, 13:55:26
Well I was only trying to find out if I was going to get gut ache if I ate it!! :-*

I shall  go away, try them,  and report back!

Wardy if you hear no more from me I like lilies  ;D ;D ;D

Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: flowerlady on December 06, 2005, 23:19:49
Still alive!! ;D 

Just the record,  first par-boiled then roasted gently, Fennel roots make very acceptable 'Snips' !

Flesh is firm, creamy in colour,wasn't stringy, and obviously had mild Fennel flavour. 

Whilst Fennel bulbs are the prime objective, the roots certainly would make a very plausible parsnip substitute!
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: AikenDrum on December 06, 2005, 23:22:34
Great to hear ! will stick that in my "Handy Tips" notebook.   :)
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: flowerlady on December 06, 2005, 23:25:03
There is only one snag, there would not be very many of them!

Only a mini veg!    In size and quantity!   ;)
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: undercarriage plan on December 07, 2005, 13:33:45
Glad you OK FL! Was just rushing out of the door with me sink plunger...... :o ;)
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: Derekthefox on December 07, 2005, 13:49:03
Ah well, there is something else I will have on my plate at some point then ...

Derekthefox :D
Title: Re: Can one eat fennel roots?
Post by: flowerlady on December 07, 2005, 14:35:35
Nothing ventured, nothing gained!!!   ;)
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