Fennel

Bursting with anethole, the essential oil responsible for its powerful anise flavor, fennel requires a binary approach. Raw, shaved to transparency on a mandoline and iced, its vegetal crunch whips the taste buds. But slowly braised (melting its woody structure), its biochemical profile completely metamorphoses: the aggressive anise notes evaporate in favor of a sweet and candied mildness. The classic pairing with orange exploits the synergy of their respective terpenes.