Culinary traditions highlight herb usage and zero-waste cooking

Culinary explorations focus on the sustainable and traditional use of fennel and local ingredients. In Ischia, Italy, Tilde and Fernanda Iacono gather wild herbs and cactus leaves near the village of Sant'Angelo. They highlight local traditions, such as 83-year-old Lucia de Martino passing down historic recipes, including a cake known as ‘Amore Mio’ and cactus casserole, to her grandson Gabriele.

In a separate culinary context, author Esther Kern promotes zero-waste cooking in her book ‘Leaf to Root – Express’. Her recipes, such as braised fennel with bean puree, emphasize utilizing often-discarded parts of vegetables like fennel stalks and fronds to reduce food waste.