Noted for its mild licorice flavor, fennel is warming and sweet with a slight woodsy bite. The spice is actually a schizocarp of the fennel plant, which means it is a dry fruit that splits into single seeds when ripe. The dried fragrant seed is yellow-green, oval and grooved.
When using fennel for cooking look for seeds that are green in color since as it fennel ages the color dulls from green or green-brown to grey. Despite the similarities anise seed is a different species and it should be noted that anise spice is more pungent and it imparts a stronger licorice taste than fennel. Fennel has a more grassy aroma and woody flavor with a more subtle licorice taste; it works well in savory dishes and sauces.
Whole fennel seed is found in many meat dishes. Its aromatic and warm licorice flavor adds subtle complexity to sausages as well as a mild sweetness to sauces and baked goods.