I tried some fennel last year, but I direct-seeded them and it was (another) strange year. I did get small bulbs, though. Worth trying again. I'll start leeks and onions next month (we won't be able to set them out until mid-May). Early leeks do OK for me. Onions, not so much, but I can get really nice storage onions from our local Gleaners, so if I have green onions and a few fresh ones for salsa I'm happy. Also putting in some bunching onions. Starting to crave spring and greens...onion haircuts would be really good on a salad about now.

Oooo...fennel pesto. That's a thought...thanks agmss. Rusty, I bet you could dry the bulbs like celery. I tried growing fennel last year and got some small bulbs. Frost got them, but I would have blanched and dried any that we didn't eat fresh. If it's anything like celery it's come back just like fresh in soup or stew. You could freeze it. I'd blanch it...it stops the enzymes that cause flavor/color loss. Not that fennel has that much color, lol. I pick up a box of two bulbs whenever we get to Trader Joe's. Some of it goes into salads and then I google whatever I have on hand + fennel bulb. Don't think we've had the same cooked fennel dish twice, lol. Need to try pesto...mmmm....

Peppi, it's very simple and I don't have an exact recipe. We went to Ruth Chris Steak House and commented on how we liked the sauce/gravy served on some meat that DH ordered. I don't remember if it was pork or beef. The server proceeded to tell us that she really shouldn't tell us how it was done, but it was heavy cream, slightly thickened, add a small bit of beaten egg and loads of white pepper. So I guess the secret is to figure out how much of each ingredient, plus I think there was something she didn't tell us. Anyway, no matter how simple, we loved it and I make it now and the small amount of egg makes a difference in taste..

This thread, which I didn't catch the first time around, made me think. In general, I cook to eat and feed my family. However, I do enjoy baking for special occasions. I think that if I didn't work outside the home I would cook more...and be more adventurous. But, I work and have a long commute so by the time I get home I have to make fast meals with little time for creativity or major prep work. So, we eat a lot of frozen veggies--as is out of the bag, pre-cooked meats warmed up, pasta, soup, occasionally waffles/pancakes/eggs, potatoes, etc. I.e., for the most part things that I can cook fast. One up side to this is that our meals haven't changed that much w/o a kitchen since we do have a MW, Toaster Oven, and hot plate to cook with! One very big downside to this, though, is that my children are not learning to cook like I did from my mom. Back on topic... After finding this site and reading about zones, I realized that one thing that I really wanted was a baking center. So when my kitchen was being designed I had it in the back of my head that whatever we ended up with had to have an area I could designate my "Baking Zone", preferably near the ovens--with room to roll out dough, spread out cookie sheets, and have cookie cutters spread out all at the same time! The other thing I got from this site was our window...having the window down to the counter (OK, not cooking-related, but a very important design element!) Our very first plan that our KD came up with had input from us...but a very naive/ignorant us! (Before GW...BGW!) Then....I found this site.....and the changes began. Actually, I posted that original plan and asked for help (and also asked my KD to start over w/no island) Many, many people here helped me come up with a plan over several weeks (months?). We finally came up with a plan that has changed little since then. Interestingly, when I took away the island "must have", my KD came up with a plan very similar to what we came up with here. The only 3 differences were (1) no mini peninsula, (2) a 36" pantry cabinet rather than a corner pantry, and (3) no separate Message Center cabinets. My KD wasn't completely happy w/our differences, but she, wisely I thought, told me to go home and mock up what I wanted to see how it would work (same advice I got here!) Well, the mock up was great! It proved that I did indeed want the mini peninsula (I liked it so much I left the mock up in place until demo and used it!) When I told her the results, she didn't argue, she accepted it telling me it's my kitchen, so ultimately it's up to me. So in the end, my design was/is based on what I wanted, not what the KD wanted. [If only someone else had measured my kitchen and she was given more authority, I think a lot of subsequent problems would have been avoided.] Our kitchen isn't done yet, but it's close...so I can't yet tell you how it is going to work for us...but we are so...