Discover a new world of naturally superior herbal seasonings and infusions.
It’s interesting that whilst the Mediterranean is home to a large variety of aromatic plants, the finest examples rarely ever cross the narrow borders of their native lands. You could hunt for Mediterranean herbs at food markets, spice stores and delis around the world, but even your best finds won’t compare to the hand-picked oregano bunches that Greek women dry on their balconies during the summer months, or to the wild thyme shrubs that fill the islands’ air with their dainty fragrance each spring. And this is what Daphnis and Chloe is all about; sourcing this genuine bounty that can only be encountered in the natural state of things.
Put simply, Greece is where some of the highest quality Mediterranean cooking herbs naturally prefer to grow. The varieties that grow in Greek soil can contain up to 30 times more essential oils (a parameter that defines their quality) than other typically available herbs sourced form elsewhere. Moreover, thanks to its immense diversity of microclimates, Greece is home to an infinite list of endemic plants. D&C are sourced from natural plantations and family-run farms where the produce is grown according to organic agricultural principles.
FRAGRANT FENNEL SEEDS GLASS JAR
Specifications
Fragrant Fennel Seeds - Foeniculum Vulgare Our fennel seeds come from a young farmer near Pelion, who sells most of his production to distillers of the typical tsipouro spirit. These warm, pleasantly fresh fennel seeds have a delicious anice-liquorice aroma that pairs well with both sweet and savory dishes. Good with fish and seafood, leeks, pork and cakes.
Packaging: Glass jar - 55g
DETAILS
Known by more than 100 different names, fennel is probably the most widely used aromatic plant in the world. It was born in the Mediterranean but the bulb, fruits, leaves and stems have been indispensable ingredients in European and Asian cooking for thousands of years.
There’s a long list of fennel varieties, with climate and geography playing a catalytic role on quality. Color, size, organoleptic characteristics and essential oil concentration, are fundamental parameters in defining the grade. For example, research shows that volatile oil content (a parameter related to fragrance) is lowest in Indian fennel and highest in European. Smaller seeds are usually more aromatic, while brown/grey ones should be avoided, as dark color is a sign of old age and questionable quality.
Packaging: Glass jar 55g/1.94oz.
Sourcing: The area of Istiea in Northern Evia, has a long tradition in the cultivation of this crop. Their sweet yield serves to aromatise the tsipouro and ouzo spirits of Greece’s distilleries. Our supplier tends his family-owned fields in person, and makes sure that every year, we receive the finest part of the harvest. He’s the cause of our love for good fennel.
How to Use: Our fennel has a liquorice-sweet, aromatic taste, that surprises with its intensity without being bitter. If a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon, 1/2 will do the job. Its balanced flavor makes it very combinable, and equally successful in sweet or savoury recipes. Get equipped with a mortar and pestle - it will turn useful for your chili/fennel, pepper/fennel and almond/ fennel rubs. The first two will take pork and oily fish to another level, the third one is great for cookies.
Fennel Seed tea: Scoop a teaspoon in hot water (95C) cover and allow the seeds to steep for 6 minutes. Strain and serve. You can also gently crush the seeds before infusing them. This will facilitate the release of essential oils. High-quality fennel is packed with a myriad of valuable compounds such as calcium, flavonoids, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids. It is believed to enhance memory and intelligence. It can be used as a digestive and to treat stomach muscle spasms. In less words, it makes a palatable herbal tea with great health benefits.