Today was our monthly gathering of Women of the Dirt.  We are all into sustainable agriculture.  I decided it was a perfect day for ice cream and I have not yet made fennel ice cream this year.  I decided to make a nice apple crisp to put the ice cream on. I made if from the apples I put up last year.

To make the fennel ice cream, I use 1 pint whipping cream and 1 pint half and half.  Take 1 pint and put it in a small sauce pan over low heat.  Add a half cup sugar and a generous handful of fennel fronds, chopped up.  Stir over low - med heat until the sugar dissolves.  Put the lid on the sauce pan and put it in the fridge overnight.  When you are ready to make your ice cream, strain the fennel out and add the second container of cream straight into your ice cream maker.  I use the small Rival brand.  It's delicious over apple crisp and I've had many compliments on it.