Fennel is reliable. It's reliable-looking, for one: it sits on a sturdy, bulbous base and boasts welcoming green fronds and, if in the wild, tiny yellow flowers. It also possesses a reliable flavor: it'll welcome you back each time you use it, comfortable, secure, and unwavering in its flavor. And finally, you can rely on fennel for its multipurpose u, as a feature or an accent to your other foods.
Its History
Fennel is a perennial herb that's grown mainly in the Mediterranean and India. First referred to as "marathon" by the ancient Greeks and later used against witchcraft in medieval times, fennel is high in Vitamin C, potassium, and dietary fiber. Fennel's flavor, a distinct liquorice, comes from the anethole compound, which is also found in anise and star anise, which is why one is often mistaken for the other. The one you'll find most often in your local supermarket is known as florence fennel.
Its Uses
Fennel is primarily used either for its "bulb," a tightly-grouped bunch of leaves (large shards are pulled off to be used in soups or salads), its fronds (sprinkled onto salads and entrees as an accent) and as an herb to flavor dishes in its seed form. It is also one of the primary ingredients in absinthe. Even the pollen from fennel's delicate yellow flowers are used in cooking, though they are quite expensive. It is often used as a breath freshener, and is said to have medicinal qualities, used for everything from preventing jaundice to aiding digestion (it can be used as a diuretic) to staunching coughs.
Using fresh herbs in your recipes is a sure way to brighten up your favorite chicken dish or add some dimension to a rice pilaf. The flavors from fresh herbs are more vivid and complex than those from dried herbs. Once way to obtain said herbs is by choosing bunches of fresh at your local market, but growing them at home is going to be more convenient and less expensive than buying them every time you need a few tablespoonfuls. These garden-in-a bag kits are perfect for anyone interested in trying to grow some fresh herbs who doesn't have the space - or gardening abilities - to handle something bigger. The indoor-friendly options include organic chives, mint, basil and lavender, along with a variety of flowers. To get your herbs to grow, all you need to do is stir the included seeds and water into the bag, full of already primed soil, and wait. Germination takes a few days and, depending on what you're growing, you'll have fresh herbs within a couple of weeks.
The nearest grocery store to my house is very convenient -- at a couple of blocks away, it wouldn't be much hassle to bike down and pick up a few things. But it's a very ordinary store as well, and doesn't always have what I might be hunting. And when it doesn't? Well, the half-hour drive downtown is usually worth it for the abundant selection of fresh fruits and veggies, but sometimes I simply don't feel up to it. So, facing up to the coming winter, I've cleared off a sunny kitchen windowsill as an ideal place to attempt to grow my own selection of herbs. And while I don't claim to have a green thumb, a couple of weeks into the experiment my little plants -- basil, oregano, sage, rosemary, and lavender (I've never cooked with this last, but it smells lovely in the kitchen) -- already seem to be growing a bit. Want to test your own green thumb?
Lemon verbena is growing in popularity, seemingly by the minute. A few years ago, it was almost unheard of to the home cook, then it rapidly spread from the pages of upscale menus to Gourmet to Cooking Light and to Better Homes and Gardens. It is a perennial herb, native to Chile and Peru, that has an unusually strong lemon scent and flavor to it. The lemon scent comes from an essential oil known as citral, which is also found in lemon, lemongrass and other plants.
Verbena is not a popular herb in traditional European cookery, though it was commonly planted for ornamental reasons in European gardens after it was introduced in the 18th century. The plant grows best in temperate climates, with plenty of water and sunshine. It will produce beautiful, small flowers in the late summer and fall. Its aroma is strong and can perfume a garden easily.
It can be difficult to gauge the freshness of dried herbs simply from looking at the bottle on the rack in your spice cabinet. Ideally, you should just periodically replace the herbs in your spice cabinet as just about everything will lose flavor over time. The easiest way to see how fresh things are is to smell them. If, for example, you dried basil or rosemary has little to no scent, it is likely that it is past its prime. It could even impart a slightly musty taste to your food, as you will have to increase the amount you're using if you want to get any flavor into your dish.
The best bet if you are in doubt is to replace the product in question, either with something fresh or a fresh bottle of dried herbs. If you find that you are often replacing full jars of spices, consider switching to fresh herbs for those ingredients. There is no sense in buying a new bottle of dried rosemary/ thyme/tarragon, etc. every year when you only use it for one dish. Buy the fresh herb on that day, get a better flavor in the finished product, and don't worry about it again for another 365 days.
Bartenders don't usually use a whole range of vegetables in their mixing unless they are particularly fond of bloody marys and celery garnishes. More and more often, however, fresh herbs are cropping up in cocktails. The Seattle Times had an interesting look inside a bartender's herb garden this weekend. Herbs can generally be grown indoors and require only a small amount of care relative to maintaining a whole garden. The taste of a fresh herb is unmatched and, if you're going to be using them frequently, they are nice to have at hand without a trip to the store. Their suggested list of herbs and cocktails, which is practical for pros and weekend mixologists alike, includes:
Spearmint, for classic mojitos and anything that needs a refreshing touch.
Sage, works well with tequila and "will raise your margarita to the next level."
They also recommend cilantro and tarragon, but for me, mint or basil is a better choice for an addition to summer lemonade than cilantro, which the Times suggests. Basil, thyme, rosemary and sage can all be used in cooking, too, though I don't necessarily endorse adding spearmint to, say, a grilled chicken dish. And a word to the novice gardeners: basil grows quickly and aggressively. Fortunately, you can make a killer pesto with the leftovers.
Compound butter is butter that has a flavor, or additional ingredient(s) added to it. For example, I can think of several restaurants that serve garlic butter with dinner rolls (often barbecue restaurants), which is a compound butter. They are also sometimes simply called "herb butter," though they can be sweet or savory.
Compound butters are very easy to make and can have any number of flavors blended into them. The first step is softening the butter to room temperature. Once it is soft, the desired ingredients can be added . Herbs and spices are the most common because they are the easiest things to use, but just about any ingredient can be added. Lemon zest and dill make a great compound butter to "finish" a fish dish. Grated parmesan cheese, garlic and a bit of parsley make a wonderful spread for dinner rolls. If you choose to use cooked additions, like roasted garlic, make sure it is entirely cooled before mixing in, or the butter will separate. Use savory butters to top steaks, corn on the cob or any other dish you think needs a bit of extra flavor.
For sweet butters, you can add in any combination of spices, too. Pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon butters bake wonderful spreads for toast or waffles. You can also stir in a little bit of jam to make a fruity butter or maple syrup for a deliciously sweet addition to oatmeal. My favorite compound butter is served by Bill Granger in his Sydney restaurants: honeycomb butter, which has bits of smashed honey candies stirred in.
To store, simply return the mixed butter to the fridge to firm it back up. If you prefer to be able to slice your butter, shape it into a log on a piece of wax paper before refrigerating.
Basil is an herb in the mint family. It is often regarded as the "king of herbs" due not only to the fact that its name comes from the Greek word for "king," but due to its versatility. It is thought to have originated in India before being brought to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, where it is a staple in regional cuisine. It is also hugely popular in Thai cooking. Dark green, large leafed plants, known as sweet basil or Italian basil, are among the most widely used, but there are many other types of basil as well. These other varieties can range in color from purple to varying shades of green
It tastes slightly sweet and slightly peppery, with a hint of clove flavor. It pairs well with most meats, eggs and vegetables. A meat stuffing might include basil, as well as stir-fried vegetables. It can also simply be crushed into olive oil for a lovely dip for bread. The plant is highly aromatic, so beyond cooked uses, it can be added to potpourris or to a dish of hot water (even to a bath) to create a soothing, slightly minty aroma.
With the start of tomato season upon us, more and more recipes that rely on the delicious taste of a freshly-picked tomato are appearing on food blogs and in newspaper articles. For anyone who likes to cook (or eat) and doesn't have room for a garden, it can be a somewhat depressing time, since tomatoes will not be at hand quite as much as they could be. Unfortunately, the lack of a green thumb is not the only thing that prevents people from gardening. Apartment and condo dwellers miss out, too. This Upside-Down Tomato Garden from Hammacher Schlemmer can solve both problems. Not only does it allow tomatoes to grow easily and without risk of rotting while resting on moist, shaded earth under the vine, but it can fit almost anywhere - provided that there is enough sunlight to grow the tomatoes. It's a fantastic option for anyone with a sunny apartment, a condo with a small balcony, or if you don't have the room or motivation to maintain a full garden in your yard. The tomatoes grown will be as juicy and fresh as you could hope for. As an added bonus, the top of the "garden" can be used for herbs or other small plants. Basil would be a good idea if you like Italian cooking, but cilantro would be a great choice for salsa fans.
Using fresh herbs in your recipes is a sure way to brighten up your favorite chicken dish or add some dimension to a rice pilaf. The flavors from fresh herbs are more vivid and complex than those from dried herbs. Once way to obtain said herbs is by choosing bunches of fresh at your local market, but growing them at home is going to be more convenient and less expensive than buying them every time you need a few tablespoonfuls. These 
The nearest grocery store to my house is very convenient -- at a couple of blocks away, it wouldn't be much hassle to bike down and pick up a few things. But it's a very ordinary store as well, and doesn't always have what I might be hunting. And when it doesn't? Well, the half-hour drive downtown is usually worth it for the abundant selection of fresh fruits and veggies, but sometimes I simply don't feel up to it. So, facing up to the coming winter, I've cleared off a sunny kitchen windowsill as an ideal place to attempt to grow my own selection of herbs. And while I don't claim to have a green thumb, a couple of weeks into the experiment my little plants -- basil, oregano, sage, rosemary, and lavender (I've never cooked with this last, but it smells lovely in the kitchen) -- already seem to be growing a bit. Want to test your own green thumb?
Lemon verbena is growing in popularity, seemingly by the minute. A few years ago, it was almost unheard of to the home cook, then it rapidly spread from the pages of upscale menus to Gourmet to Cooking Light and to Better Homes and Gardens. It is a perennial herb, native to Chile and Peru, that has an unusually strong lemon scent and flavor to it. The lemon scent comes from an essential oil known as citral, which is also found in lemon, lemongrass and other plants.
It can be difficult to gauge the freshness of dried herbs simply from looking at the bottle on the rack in your spice cabinet. Ideally, you should just periodically replace the herbs in your spice cabinet as just about everything will lose flavor over time. The easiest way to see how fresh things are is to smell them. If, for example, you dried basil or rosemary has little to no scent, it is likely that it is past its prime. It could even impart a slightly musty taste to your food, as you will have to increase the amount you're using if you want to get any flavor into your dish.
Bartenders don't usually use a whole range of vegetables in their mixing unless they are particularly fond of bloody marys and celery garnishes. More and more often, however, fresh herbs are cropping up in cocktails. The 
Compound butter is butter that has a flavor, or additional ingredient(s) added to it. For example, I can think of several restaurants that serve garlic butter with dinner rolls (often barbecue restaurants), which is a compound butter. They are also sometimes simply called "herb butter," though they can be sweet or savory.
Basil is an herb in the mint family. It is often regarded as the "king of herbs" due not only to the fact that its name comes from the Greek word for "king," but due to its versatility. It is thought to have originated in India before being brought to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, where it is a staple in regional cuisine. It is also hugely popular in 
Cakes so amazing they'd be hard to cut into
Fruit juice: An invitation to diabetes?
Morbid thoughts? Have a cookie
