I recently made a purchase that I’ve been pondering over for weeks: a big container of olives with fennel. I’m 
embarrassed to admit that fennel—and the olive, for that matter—has only made its way on to my taste bud radar as of late. I started enjoying fennel about one year ago, and olives have made a comeback for me in just the last six months. As they say, better late than never, so thank goodness for maturing palates!
But back to the matter at hand: how will I use my new acquisition? Besides the obvious (snacking) and the more obvious (gin martinis), how can an olive with fennel be integrated into Miss Mojito’s cocktail repertoire? The problem with the martini is that it often packs a bit too much of a punch for my tastes. Still, I’m hoping that with the addition of this new and exciting olive, plus some first-rate Hendrick’s gin, my taste buds just might up their maturity a notch further. But as a back up, I’d like to have some other cocktail recipes ready as a substitute that will also make use of olives.
The Bloody Mary could easily benefit from the addition of the fennel olive. But it’s not exactly the evening cocktail I’m looking for. Miss Mojito wants to know: Are there any savory-style cocktails that would benefit from an olive that I’m missing out on? Help me brainstorm in the comments section below!
posted by Miss Mojito
Shoes & Cocktails 
Miss M, I sometimes think we may have been separated at birth. My feelings toward fennel and olives are practically identical. Only within the past year have I started ordering dishes with fennel (the fennel, shallot, white wine mussels at Marvin went a long way in convincing me it was a flavor I could enjoy). My relationship with olives is still complicated. Soaked in gin, yes. Tapenade, yes. Otherwise, I usually pass.
I wonder about incorporating your fennel olives in a drink with absinthe? Absinthe is a spirit I’m trying to appreciate, but yet again, the strong anise flavor gives me pause.
Oooh, the absinthe sounds intriguing. I’ve also been giving some thought to making my own fennel olives. It seems like it might be an easy recipe to experiment with.