Finocchia

Then comes a fine old castle, with its broad walls and square towers shooting up into the sky; then high banks of tall trees, with the verdant earth seen between; lower still, gardens filled with the luxuriant and varied greens of the artichoke, the pomadore, the finocchia, arched over with shrubs and fruit-trees, and topped by tall Oriental palms in full vigour and luxuriance.

Often called Finocchia or Sweet Anise. The bulblike enlargement at the top of the stem is eaten raw, like celery, or used for flavoring. Has a licorice flavor.

The ſeeds of aſparagus, baſil, beans, beet, borage, capſicum, carrots, celeri, chervil, creſſes, endive, fennel, finocchia, hyſſop, kidney beans, lavender, leeks, lentils, marjoram, marigolds, onions, parſley, parſneps, peas, purſlain, radiſhes, ſavory, ſkirrets, ſpinnage, thyme, and turneps, are beſt ſown the firſt ſpring after they have been ſaved; and indeed many of them will not grow if they are kept longer.

“Hush! hush! do not be angry; you are not to be tamed any more than the torrent and the whirlwind. I have often tried to make you know what was for your good, but it is all in vain, you have never cared more for a piece of gold than for a root of finocchia.”

There is also the stalk of the artichoke, which is allowed to grow after the heads are cut off. This is fried in batter and is called in Florence, Gobbo. Finocchia and the poorer sort of celery are cooked in the same way.

The fennel variety finocchia grows like a stalk of celery and can be eaten raw or as a boiled vegetable.