Picking fennel under the open sky is a delight—crunching through rows of feathery fronds, the anise scent clinging to your fingers as you snap off bulbs at their base. It’s even better with friends, laughing as you compare who found the plumpest one, or with kids marveling at how this odd-looking plant tastes like licorice. Back home, the fun continues. Slice the bulb thin for a crisp fennel and orange salad (toss with olive oil, salt, and mint) or roast it with potatoes and garlic until caramelized. The fronds make a bright garnish for soups or a fragrant fennel tea (steep fresh fronds in hot water with honey). For a twist, muddle a few fennel slices into a gin fennel fizz—gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, soda, and a crushed frond for aroma. Don’t forget to scatter a few stalks in a vase; their delicate greenery lasts days.