Romy Fennel

 This hefty, chef-loved Italian heirloom has large white globe-shaped bulbs weighing in at 12 to 14 ounces. Because its wrapper leaves are less tough and fibrous than other varieties, Romy yields more usable, crunchy, sweet-licorice flesh. Snip its aromatic, lime-green, feathery fronds into fresh salads or use them as an edible garnish (a hint that velvety-sweet Fennel lurks within bubbling, cheesy casseroles). You can even cut its slender, frond-tipped stalks and incorporate them into clever flower arrangements.