Can one eat fennel roots?

[flowerlady]

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?

[flowerlady]

[tim]

Parsnip like? Obviously not Florence Fennel then?

[terrace max]

 ::) ;D Good work Wardy!

Problem solved:

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'???

[blight]

a sherry brand.

[redimp]

And I was about to post:

SACK, n. A species of sweet wine, brought chiefly from the Canary isles.

[terrace max]

..anyone tried it??

[flowerlady]

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?

[terrace max]

 ??? I must have been drinking too much sack. I'm completely confused now...

[blight]

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.

[flowerlady]

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

[AikenDrum]

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

[wardy]

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

[Derekthefox]

Well yet again you convince me to try florence fennel, so my seed list grows even longer ...

Derekthefox :D

[flowerlady]

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

[flowerlady]

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!

[AikenDrum]

Great to hear ! will stick that in my "Handy Tips" notebook.   :)

[flowerlady]

There is only one snag, there would not be very many of them!

Only a mini veg!    In size and quantity!   ;)

[undercarriage plan]

Glad you OK FL! Was just rushing out of the door with me sink plunger...... :o ;)

[Derekthefox]

Ah well, there is something else I will have on my plate at some point then ...

Derekthefox :D

[flowerlady]

Nothing ventured, nothing gained!!!   ;)