A great flavor
September 7, 2011 (Wednesday)
We gave blog time to Chocolate yesterday, so it seems only fair to give some time to our old friend, Vanilla.
Did you know that vanilla comes from a bean that is produced by an orchid? The special kind of orchid can produce the vanilla beans only if it is pollinated, and it can be pollinated naturally by only one kind of bee. That bee lives in Mexico. All the rest of the vanilla beans produced in the world are pollinated some other way, and usually that means by a human hand. That makes it a labor-intensive product, which automatically means it is expensive. (You tube has a video that shows you how to pollinate a vanilla orchid yourself, with a toothpick).
Vanilla is the world’s favorite ice cream flavor. I think sometimes we forget that Vanilla is very much a flavor just like chocolate and strawberry and all the rest. Without vanilla there is very little flavor in ice cream.
Vanilla is used with other flavorings to produce many things we love to eat, like cakes, cookies, and candies.
Many people use Vanilla as a deodorizer to freshen up a room. Others use it as perfume or cologne. Some people smear a dab under the nose when they retire, claiming it helps them go to sleep.
So let’s hear it for vanilla, the unsung hero of the culinary world, and the champion of orchids, which not only beautify the world, but also help to feed it.