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A History of Vanilla

  • Marlon Mata
  • February 22, 2011

Consider this as among the ultimate of sweet flavorings. Who would have though that something as innocent looking as white vanilla could be the ultimate in spices. That’s why it comes as a surprise that this flavoring has earned quite a “plain”reputation these recent years.

This makes people like me ask why? After all, vanilla is the stuff dreams are made of. What caused the change in perception? Before we begin, let us explore a brief history of vanilla. Based on what what our “trusty” Wikipedia says:

“Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla native to Mexico. Etymologically, vanilla derives from the Spanish word “vainilla”, little pod. Originally cultivated by Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican peoples, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortes is credited with introducing both vanilla and chocolate to Europe in the 1520s. Attempts to cultivate the vanilla plant outside Mexico and Central America proved futile because of the symbiotic relationship between the tlilxochitl vine that produced the vanilla orchid and the local species of Melipona bee; it was not until 1837 that Belgian botanist Charles François Antoine Morren discovered this fact and pioneered a method of artificially pollinating the plant. The method proved financially unworkable and was not deployed commercially. In 1841, a 12-year-old French-owned slave by the name of Edmond Albius, who lived on Île Bourbon, discovered the plant could be hand pollinated, allowing global cultivation of the plant”

It is due to the difficulty in producing vanilla that this spice is considered as one of the most expensive in the world. For example, in 2004, a kilo of vanilla pods would fetch $500. Despite the lofty price tag, it is still in high demand. Vanilla has many applications, from food flavoring to aromatherapy. This explains the rise of many brands that produce artificial vanilla. Because artificial vanilla is significantly cheaper than the original, it is used in more frequency.

Perhaps this could be cited as the reason why lately we have become accustomed to the smell, taste and sound of vanilla. This is a good example of an old saying: “too much of a good thing is bad for you.”Since we use vanilla in almost all our foods and perfumes, it doesn’t come as surprise if a whiff of it has become the ultimate in olfactory assault. We’ve simply become desensitized to the lovely smell of the bean.

That’s too bad, since natural vanilla is a wonderful treat. It has a wonderful bouquet of aromas that artificial flavorings has failed to capture. Natural vanilla also has this spicy kick that makes it impossible to resist. Since it’s so expensive and difficult to cultivate the orchids where it comes from, most of us are stuck with the cheaper imitation. And because they are cheap, you can pretty much expect to experience only a fraction of what we’re supposed to enjoy with real vanilla.

Supposedly, only high-end products get to use it as an ingredient (strangely, Coca-Cola is one of those lucky few, with their cola syrup requiring natural vanilla as their ingredient). But the important point here must be made about vanilla. It never takes center stage in the world of flavors. It’s strength lies in it’s ability to bring out different dimensions to food that it’s used with. Whether it’s for pork, fish, or that chocolate biscuits you’ve just baked at home, vanilla brings out the best in flavors. It would be a disservice to these dishes if they could not be truly appreciated, which vanilla makes possible by acting in the sidelines (you can think of it as the power behind the throne, the hidden cabinet, etc.).

But doesn’t that make vanilla the star in its own right? Well, I always knew that vanilla is a wonderful flavoring. So the next time I’m at the market, I’ll be picking up a few pods to use in my cake. It would surely be a treat.

Ready to cook? Click here for vanilla recipes.

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