Fennel Gets a Bad Rap

Still catching up on my emails and will soon post a select few. So many problems, so little time to answer but keep the faith people and try not to screw up!
Meantime I’ll share a tale from the CasaBlanca experimental kitchen about a recipe that called for something my humans had never tried before...fennel.
Occasionally an unfamiliar ingredient is required in a recipe and I am here to bear witness that we braved it through a fennel experience. Learning that this produce called ‘Fennel’ or “Anise’ had a licorice flavor to it...well, that automatically ought to vote it off the island. And since my super charged sniffing ability can bring me out of any 18 hour beauty sleep in a snap I feared that a horrible licorice smell would soon filter down my way. Sure I could go nap some more but why risk missing out the possibility that something good might hit the floor? Bummer is that more times than not it’s for human consumption only so another dinner of ocean whitefish it is but at least I enjoy the aromas erupting from their experimenting.
Okay, I for one, feel licorice is the single most disgusting flavor on earth. Can’t stand the smell of it, even the thought of the taste will cause a hairball, therefore do not want to see it anywhere near me. Well, in comes this almost hairy looking green thing with a whitish round end on it... the fennel had arrived and I feared the worst.
Surprisingly enough this is why fennel gets a bad rap….people should not assume it tastes bad at all just because it is ‘supposed’ to have a licorice-like flavor. Not only did it not have any hint of licorice, my humans claimed it tasted really good.
Seems they roasted a pan of cauliflower, brussel sprouts & slivers of fennel on a cookie sheet, drizzled with olive oil, salt & pepper and it was delicious beyond belief! Of course they didn’t share it with me but I could tell they were quite relieved at the outcome.
So my followers, believe me when I say that from what I witnessed everyone should give fennel a chance. It’s has an onion texture, very tasty, very pleasant surprise!
Try it...you might like it! Blessings!