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Fennel is an edible, perrenial herb which resembles dill. It was discovered in the Mediterranean region and south-east Asia (from east of Morroco and Portugal all the way to Pakistan). The biggest growers of fennel today are: the United States, France, India and Rusia. Fennel was brought to North America by the Spanish missionaires to be grown in their own medicinal gardens. In California it is known under the name of “star anise”. The fact that this herb was used in the ancient times is shown by the traditions presented in mythology. In Greek myths this plant was associated with Dionysus (the god of feasts and wine). It is also said that intelligence came from the gods and reached the humans through a fennel stem. Fennel was considered to have magical characteristics. In the Middle Ages during the summer solstice this herb was placed by the door in order to fend off the evil spirits. What is more, the plant seeds were used to block the keyhole to keep the ghosts from entering the homes.

Fennel seeds are 4-8 cm long, thin and slightly curved with colors that vary from brown to light green. The bittersweet smell and the slightly minty taste make this herb similar to ansine. Many languages (like Hindoo, Indonesian, Hungarian) contain only one word for both fennel and ansine. Fennel fruits – seeds are an old type of seasoning found in the Mediterranean region. These are used to make pickles, scented bread, scented vinegar, meat, fish, sea fruits. The poor would use fennel to appease the hunger in the Lent period but also for spicing up meals.

History

he word fennel developed from the Middle English fenel or fenyl. This came from the Old English fenol or finol, which in turn came from the Latin feniculum or foeniculum, the diminutive of fenum or faenum, meaning “hay”. The Latin word for the plant was ferula, which is now used as the genus name of a related plant. As Old English finule it is one of the nine plants invoked in the pagan Anglo-Saxon Nine Herbs Charm, recorded in the 10th century.

In Greek mythology, Prometheus used the stalk of a fennel plant to steal fire from the gods. Also, it was from the giant fennel, Ferula communis, that the Bacchanalian wands of the god Dionysus and his followers were said to have come.

The Greek name for fennel is marathos (μάραθος) and the place of the famous battle of Marathon and the subsequent sports event Marathon (Μαραθών), literally means a plain with fennels.