The multifaceted product from Angri to the rest of Europe

Also known by its botanical name Foeniculum, fennel is one of the most ductile and multifaceted vegetables of the entire Mediterranean diet. Different parts of it are consumed, from the leaves to the seeds and, of course, to the lumps (the big white growths that are normally consumed). The latter can be cooked - especially grilled and baked - or eaten raw, mainly in salads. Few people know that the layers of the lump of fennel are composed of foliar sheaths, i. e. the lower part of the leaves, thicker and designed to anchor the leaf itself to the stem of the plant. Despite this, large concentrations of chlorophyll are not detectable. Conversely, the fennel lump contains beneficial substances such as anethole, phenon, aniseed ketone, camphene, fellandrene, dipentene and methylcavorous acid, which combined with a good concentration of fibre give it diuretic, carminative and antiemetic properties. Moreover, if consumed as a herbal tea, after proper infusion in boiling water, it is an excellent calming agent and a good sleep regulator.

Production areas

Despite the fact that there are widespread crops in Veneto, Lazio and Sicily, fennel is mainly cultivated in Campania, Calabria, Basilicata, Marche and Puglia. Its consumption is practically institutionalised, being a noble element of the Mediterranean diet. It is also one of the vegetables in possession of the highest coefficient of resilience, able to withstand even the most variable changes in temperature: also for this reason, fennel is never lacking on the table, not even in the coldest winters, and is a valid alternative to the most fragile leafy salad. In fact, it is cultivated, harvested and marketed throughout the year, making it a sort of evergreen vegetable.