freaks and their fennel

Given the look the cashier gave me, you would have thought that I was buying a dead rodent or some other foul thing -- not a creamy bulb of fennel for Potato-Leek Soup with Fennel. She didn't even really ask me what it was, just sort of stared at me until I told her what it was. When she found it in her produce glossary, she still seemed wary, as if it were really something different altogether. When I was a cashier and a customer purchased something I didn't recognize or hadn't used before I liked to hear what they were going to make with it. Assuming my cashier was curious as well, I launched into a brief explanation of fennel and what it tasted like and what I was going to make with it. She didn't even look in my direction.

I feel like somewhat of an outcast in this town - what with my basket piled high with produce, oils, and whole grain breads and everyone else shoving themselves full of everything pre-packaged and artificial. I think my gardening skills are going to have to vastly improve before we settle down in a rural area because sometimes its hard enough to find what I want here in a suburban area. I remember when a friend of mine moved to Wisconsin and lamented the lack of shallots at the grocery store. Its hard to be a serious food snob sometimes.

As for the soup, its a nice twist on the usual potato-leek. The original version calls for watercress, added at the end and wilted just slightly. I wish I could find it here and I can just imagine the looks I would get for buying something that looks like it was harvested from a marsh. If you can find it, it really brightens the soup.

Potato-Leek Soup with Fennel and Watercress
adapted from Soup (Williams-Sonoma)

2 leeks, cleaned and chopped
2 to 3 baking potatoes (about 1 pound) peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 bulb of fennel (about 1 pound) white part sliced
6 cups chicken broth
1 bunch watercress, stems cut off

Saute leeks in olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or stockpot until soft and lightly brown (5 minutes). Add potatoes and fennel and cook, stirring occasionaly, until softened (10 minutes). Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for a half hour or so partially covered, until potatoes are quite soft and can be mashed with a wooden spoon (20 minutes or so). Add watercress, if you can find it, and cook until just wilted. Take soup off heat and blend it, in batches. Return blended soup to the stove and heat on a medium-low flame until hot. Serve with some crusty bread. A dash of Tabasco gives the soup an extra kick.