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Since You Asked: Fennel, anise aren't the same Feb 26, 2014 12:00 AM A A Is there a difference between anise and fennel? I use fennel because I can't find anise in local stores. — Pam S., Shady Cove Fennel and anise have similar, licoricelike flavors. But they are indeed different. Florence fennel, the type usually seen in markets, is a root vegetable with a feathery frond. The bulbous root can be sliced and eaten like a vegetable while the frond can be minced and used as a fresh herb. The flavor is similar to anise, but much milder, sweeter and more delicate. Fennel seed, usually dried and used to flavor sausage, comes from a related plant called common fennel. It's widely available in supermarket spice sections. Anise is considered a spice. While shoppers rarely encounter the plant, the seed can be found in spice sections of well-stocked supermarkets, particularly in Italian-American communities. It's used to flavor a lot of things, such as sweets and beverages common in Mediterranean countries. Sambuca is one anise-flavored Italian liqueur. Try it in this recipe with fennel. Mussels In Sambuca 1/4 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 leek, white portion only, julienned 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed 1 ounce white sambuca 2 tablespoons chopped fennel 1 cup clam juice 1/2 cup heavy cream Pinch chili flakes In a wide pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and leek and saute until aromatic. Stir in the mussels, tossing with oil. Add the sambuca, scraping bottom of pot; stir in the fennel, clam juice and cream. Cover and steam mussels until they open. Season with the chili flakes and salt and pepper. Makes 4 to 6 servings.