Mexican Food Encyclopedia

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Fennel: a celery like plant which stems are long and green and leaves are like soft needles. There are two types of Fennel plants: Florence and Common. Florence fennel, a.k.a. finocchio or sweet anise, has a broad, bulbous base which can be eaten raw or cooked and its leaves used as a seasoning or garnish. Common fennel, which many treat like a weed, does not have a bulbous bottom, but does have the long stems and pine-needle like leaves and gives greenish-brown seeds which can be used in cooking or to make liqueurs. Eating the bulbous bottom of the common fennel is not recommended. It is rich in Vitamin A.

Fennel: a celery like plant which stems are long and green and leaves are like soft needles. There are two types of Fennel plants: Florence and Common. Florence fennel, a.k.a. finocchio or sweet anise, has a broad, bulbous base which can be eaten raw or cooked and its leaves used as a seasoning or garnish. Common fennel, which many treat like a weed, does not have a bulbous bottom, but does have the long stems and pine-needle like leaves and gives greenish-brown seeds which can be used in cooking or to make liqueurs. Eating the bulbous bottom of the common fennel is not recommended. It is rich in Vitamin A.

Fennel Seeds: come from the fennel plant and is greenish-yellow brown in color. The flavor is similarly licorice like, sweet with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Fennel seed is used in English-style soups, German breads, Polish borscht, Italian sausages and breads, and almost unanimously in meatballs, spaghetti, and tomato dishes. Many claim that chewing fennel seeds neutralize the heat after eating hot-spicy foods. Fennel berries or seeds, have been used as appetite suppressants and the powdered plant can be used as a flea repellent for pets. Among its many nutritional chemicals, fennel berries have anethole, calcium, cymene, chorine, oleic acid, petroselinic acid, sulfur, stigmasterol, sulfur, vitamins A and C. It is highly recommended for stomach ailments. We are not medical doctors and cannot verify any claims to the benefits of problems of such treatment, some reports in neutraceutical books claim that consumption of fennel is good after chemotherapy and/or radiation treatments for cancer. Such claims may be related to the digestive properties of fennel and the digestive problems caused by chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. Greeks and Hindus are those who believe that fennel is good for sex drive. The Greeks used the leaves and seeds in dishes and wore the leaves as crowns during festivities.

Fenugreek: is a small, slender, annual herb of the pea family. The seeds constitute the spice. The color of the seed is light tan and has a flat shape. The aroma is that of burned sugar and when it is ground up fenugreek seed has a very strong, maple sweetness. Ground fenugreek seed may be used in mango chutney, curry powder blend, stews, and hearty soups. It blends particularly well with the milder-flavored spices. Fenugreek seeds can act as a bulk laxative which lubricate the intestines and reduces fever. The seeds also help reduce mucus and thus mollify mucous complications brought on by asthma or sinusitis. Among the many nutritional chemicals in this spice, we can find biotin, choline, folic acid, iron, lecithin, mucilage, pantothenic acid, trigonelline, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and D.