A friend has a recipe that calls for Fennel. Instead of getting the
seeds, he just got ground instead. Which is better or does it make a
difference? Also, I saw on a cooking show where seeds that were to be
added to a recipe were first placed on the cook's plam and the plam on
his other hand was used to crush them, like a mortar then everything
was added to the recipe. Should seeds be added whole or opened with
the above method?

Thanks,
Mark

On 2005-02-14, FERRANTE > wrote:
> A friend has a recipe that calls for Fennel. Instead of getting the
> seeds, he just got ground instead. Which is better or does it make a
> difference?

Always buy whole seeds. They last longer and keep their essence
better. Get yourself a good mortar & pestle or a small cheapo coffee
grinder to grind spices should the recipe call for.

nb

FERRANTE wrote:
> A friend has a recipe that calls for Fennel. Instead of getting the
> seeds, he just got ground instead.

Without your presenting the recipe all one can do is offer wild
speculation... for all we know it's a salad and calls for fennel bulbs,
or poached fish requiring fennel fronds for the court bouillon. Yeah,
right... the proverbial friend... admit it, the dummy is you. <g>

Ahahahahahahahahahahaha. . . .