Buck's Spices

Spice Barista Corner

Spice Barista

From the Spice Barista

Why does fennel pollen matter in porchetta?

A real customer question, curated into a useful guide for cooking, product use, and finding just the right thing.

Fennel is one of the signature flavors of porchetta, but fennel pollen is what makes it feel truly aromatic: sweeter, greener, and more perfumed than seed alone, with a concentrated anise-herbal lift that cuts through the richness of pork belly and roast pork.

  • For depth, start with toasted and crushed whole fennel seed in your rub or paste, then finish with a small pinch of our Borghini Italian Fennel Pollen (.25 oz) for that high floral top note — a little goes a long way.
  • For a Buck's twist, finely mince a small amount of our Sweetened Yuzu Peel into the garlic-herb paste. It brings bright citrus, a little bitterness, and gentle sweetness that plays beautifully with fennel, rosemary, sage, garlic, and slow-roasted pork.