This ‘Spice of the Angels’ Is Italy’s Best-Kept Culinary Secret

The fennel plant has a lot to offer: The bulbs can do what most crunchy vegetables can do, starring in everything from salads to gratins. The stalks are a potential celery dupe, useful for a little licorice kick anytime you need to sweat aromatics. The seeds flavor everything from Italian sausage to sourdough loaves to pickle brine. Even fennel fronds can go the distance as a simple yet lively garnish. All this, yet fennel isn’t quite through with its gifts.

Fennel pollen, harvested from the yellow flowers of the wild fennel plant, is an ancient but trending spice that chefs — especially Italian chefs — swear by. Look for it popping up in every section of the restaurant menu, and use it at home to lift everything from spice rubs to ice cream.

What is fennel pollen?

“Fennel pollen is the delicate, golden yellow pollen collected from the flowers of wild fennel plants,” explains Angelo Caruso, chef-owner of Angelo’s Ristorante in Stoneham, Massachusetts. Given its golden color and powdery essence, “it is often referred to as the ‘spice of angels’ in Italy,” he says, “and prized for its intensely aromatic flavor and ability to deliver the essence of fennel in a concentrated form.”

Coming primarily from around the Mediterranean where it grows wild, fennel pollen goes by finocchio selvatico in Italy and pollen de fenouil in France.

“Before I knew it had a name and a price, it was just something I used to collect for free on the roadside near my house in Umbria,” says 1999 F&W Best New Chef Nancy Silverton, co-owner of Los Angeles’s Mozza Restaurant Group.

What does fennel pollen taste like?

Just a sprinkle of fennel pollen broadcasts the anise flavor that is found in all the other parts of the fennel plant, domesticated or wild.

“The texture is an ultra-fine powder almost like bee pollen dust,” says James Lamb, beverage director at New York City’s Santi, where fennel pollen also appears on the cocktail list. “It has a sweet anise flavor with a floral element that is almost honeyed,” he says. “It also has a little citrus lift.”

Those floral, citrusy notes combined with fennel pollen’s soft texture and vibrant color are what distinguishes it from other licorice-forward spices such as anise seed. “It has powerful aromatics and really punches up the fennel flavor,” says 2009 F&W Best New Chef Vinny Dotolo of Jon & Vinny’s, “but is less intense than anise; fennel pollen is light and earthy.” 

“Despite its delicate appearance, a small amount goes a long way in adding depth and complexity to a dish,” adds Caruso.

How chefs use fennel pollen

Seasoning, spice rubs, and marinades

“In Italy, [fennel pollen] is typically used to season seafood and especially pork,” says Silverton, whose menu at Osteria Mozza plays upon this with a Branzino alla Porchetta, where the fish is prepared with traditional porchetta seasonings.

“I most often use it as a finishing touch on whole roasted branzino, grilled seafood, porchetta, cioppino, and seasonal vegetables,” says Caruso.

However, fennel pollen is more than just a finishing spice. “It can also be incorporated into marinades, spice rubs, and vinaigrettes for a subtle floral note,” says Caruso. “A pinch of fennel pollen can completely transform a dish.”

Fennel pollen also plays nicely with other forms of fennel, adding depth of flavor to dishes across the menu. “It layers really nicely with fennel seed and fresh fennel,” says Dotolo. 

Desserts

Try sprinkling fennel pollen on your next dessert. “It’s great on ice cream, cheesecake, or panna cotta,” says Dotolo.

“Fior di latte gelato with a splash of one of the fennel liqueurs which are becoming popular, and sprinkled with a little fennel pollen, is just the most delicious, grown-up sundae,” agrees Silverton. “It can also be used for pastry or baking, especially where you like just a little hint of savory in the background,” she says. “It’s great baked in cookies just like you would use a little anise seed.”

Cocktails

Fennel pollen is extremely versatile in cocktails, “especially if you’re building layered, aromatic drinks,” says Lamb. At Santi, Lamb sprinkles fennel pollen on the fried artichoke garnish of the restaurant’s Carcofi alla Romana cocktail, which also features savory and herbaceous elements such as oregano, basil, olive leaf, and rosemary. “It gives the edible element an extra lift and added depth, and it acts as a binding agent to connect the cocktail and garnish.”

At home, you can employ fennel pollen itself as the garnish or use it as the foundation for a lightly herbal syrup. 

Where to buy fennel pollen

Unlike some European speciality ingredients, fennel pollen doesn’t have AOP status, but you still want to seek out a high-quality product to make sure you’re getting the most flavor (and color) for your spend.

“In the U.S., unless you buy it off of the internet, you’re going to need to find a specialty store with a deep stock [of spices],” says Silverton, such as Kalustyan’s in NYC or Cookbook Market in Los Angeles. Priced per ounce, it’s not as expensive as saffron, but “you should expect to have to pay a bit for it,” she says. She notes that if you’re traveling in Italy you can usually find a small jar in many markets for much less than what you’d pay in the States.

Look for wild-harvested fennel pollen to make sure you’re getting the real deal, and rely on other visual cues for quality. “Look for pollen that is bright golden yellow in color,” says Caruso. “Avoid products that appear dull, brownish, or have very little scent, as those are often older and have lost much of their flavor and fragrance,” he says. “Fresh, high-quality fennel pollen should have a vibrant aroma that’s immediately noticeable when you open the container.”