The only edible member of the orchid family, vanilla is one of the world’s most fragrant and best-loved spices. There are three main areas of vanilla production: Tahiti, Madagascar, and Mexico. The variety found in Tahiti has strong fruit and floral overtones, while the type native to Mexico (used by Aztecs and Mayans to flavor their hot chocolate) has a weaker but sweeter flavor. “Bourbon” vanilla is the type that is cultivated in Madagascar. I prefer the stronger, more fragrant Tahitian variety of vanilla extract.
Curiously enough, a fresh vanilla bean has no flavor. It has to cure for six months for the vanillin–tiny fragrant crystals–to form inside and then outside of the pod. During this process, the pod shrinks to half its former size and begins to wrinkle and turn a dark chocolate brown. From there, it is either stored and sold as whole pods or extract. (The latter is achieved by soaking the pods in 35% alcohol.)
Since true vanilla is very expensive, artificial extracts are often sold alongside the real thing. What you purchase is up to your tastebuds, of course, but I wouldn’t buy the artificial variety, not when I can get the real thing. It is also possible to use a single vanilla bean (which will probably cost at least $4 or $5) more than once–you can cut it open and use its seeds in recipes, you can put the seeds in sugar to make vanilla sugar, you can drop the empty pod into a pot of chai tea to make it taste even better, and you can let that same pod dry out and then let it sit in a bottle of sunflower oil for two weeks to make your own vanilla massage lotion. Not bad for $4!
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Tags: edible orchid, madagascar, mexico, spice history, tahiti, vanilla
