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- May 12, 2010
- Location
- Now Florida but always a Kentuckian
In the early 16th century, Conquistador Cortez who was seeking the treasurers of the New World, found another treasure. The Mexican Emperor Montezuma introduced him to a rich vanilla scented chocolate beverage. The Spaniards learned that this new flavor came from the pod of a tropical orchid plant. They called this fruit "Vaynilla", meaning "little pod".
Mexico continued to be the source of supply for many years. Vanilla now mostly comes from Madagascar and its neighboring islands of Reunion and Comores.
Vanilla comes from a parasitical vine.It trails around trees and when allowed to grow unrestrained, practically covers the tree with luxuriant growth.
The Vanilla vine is a member of the orchid family (vanilla Planifolia) and produces a flower almost as lovely as milady's proudest corsage. Under modern cultivation, the flowers are pollinated by hand. In this way, only the finest flowers are brought to seed, and the number borne by one vine are limited in quantity, so that larger and finer fruit are produced.
A metamorphosis takes place in the production of the Vanilla pods. Out of the heart of that lovely flower, gradually develops long, out-size string bean like pods, averaging from six to ten inches in length, yellow-green in color, with hardly any taste, and with no suspicion of the flavor to come.
The Vanilla beans are then cured and put through an extraction process. The process is similar to way coffee is percolated.
Vanilla is used in baking and for kinds of desserts, such as candies, cookies, cakes and pies. It can also be added to beverages, such as milk, apple juice and pear nectar. It has a fine flavor and delicate bouquet.
From: "A handbook of Spices, Herbs, Seasonings, and Flavorings", by Durkee.
Mexico continued to be the source of supply for many years. Vanilla now mostly comes from Madagascar and its neighboring islands of Reunion and Comores.
Vanilla comes from a parasitical vine.It trails around trees and when allowed to grow unrestrained, practically covers the tree with luxuriant growth.
The Vanilla vine is a member of the orchid family (vanilla Planifolia) and produces a flower almost as lovely as milady's proudest corsage. Under modern cultivation, the flowers are pollinated by hand. In this way, only the finest flowers are brought to seed, and the number borne by one vine are limited in quantity, so that larger and finer fruit are produced.
A metamorphosis takes place in the production of the Vanilla pods. Out of the heart of that lovely flower, gradually develops long, out-size string bean like pods, averaging from six to ten inches in length, yellow-green in color, with hardly any taste, and with no suspicion of the flavor to come.
The Vanilla beans are then cured and put through an extraction process. The process is similar to way coffee is percolated.
Vanilla is used in baking and for kinds of desserts, such as candies, cookies, cakes and pies. It can also be added to beverages, such as milk, apple juice and pear nectar. It has a fine flavor and delicate bouquet.
From: "A handbook of Spices, Herbs, Seasonings, and Flavorings", by Durkee.
Bringing the