The vanilla orchid is originally from Mexico and Central America. The Aztec king Montezuma gave Cortes a cocao drink flavoured with vanilla and sweetened with honey, varients of which became popular in Europe in the sixteenth century, and vanilla was recommended to Queen Elizabeth I by her apothecary for its excellent flavour and supposed medicinal properties. There are two types of vanilla pods used for culinary purposes, the most popular is vanilla planifolia, the other being Tahitian vanilla, which is thought to be inferior, though it has its own distinct flavour that is preferable for some dishes. Planifora is still grown in Mexico, but Madagascar has become one of the main suppliers world-wide. India, among other countries, are relatively new to vanilla production, but are producing some very good quality pods. Out of their natural habitat the plants must be hand pollinated as in Mexico the work is done by melipona bees and hummingbirds only from that area, this is one of the reasons for their relative expense. Real vanilla suffered when artificial forms were placed into the market. These are made from the waste sulphite liqueur from paper mills, coal tar extracts or the oil from cloves, and does not have the same flavour spectrum as real vanilla. When picked, vanilla pods themselves have no aroma or taste and need to be cured to release their distinctive vanilla scent and aroma, this is also when the pods turn deep brown/black. This process releases the vanillin which gives the flavour, which sometimes appears as white crystals on the surface of the pod.
To order vanilla click here.
To find vanilla recipes click on the label below.
No comments:
Post a Comment