If fragrantly sweet, anise-like flavor is to your liking, scoop up a small glass bottle of wild-fennel pollen. This rare pollen is collected by hand from Italy’s Tuscan hillsides and used by many Boston chefs in the know. Sprinkle a little onto steamed vegetables with olive oil, melted butter, or mayonnaise, and you’ll taste the difference. For an easy pork marinade, mix the pollen with some sea salt and ground pepper. Or use as a sweetener for pickles or candy. Though it’s a bit expensive, wild-fennel pollen will last a while, since you need only a little to add a lot of flavor.
Wild-fennel pollen is available at Formaggio Kitchen, 244 Huron Avenue, Cambridge, and 268 Shawmut Avenue, Boston; $7.95 for a two-ounce bottle.
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