I had yet to reach the age of happily consuming vegetables (and broccoli only served to amuse me with its tree-like appearance), but here was a crunchy vegetable that looked a little like celery and… TASTED A LOT LIKE CANDY! One crisp, licorice-scented bite and I was hooked. Once I started cooking on regular basis, my childhood appreciation of fennel’s sweet flavor developed into a deep, abiding love…