Green vanilla pods- Vanilla is a flavoring, in its pure form known as vanillin, derived from orchids in the genus Vanilla.
- There are two main species of vanilla - Tahitian and Burbon (aka Mexican)
- Native to Mexico
- Vanilla is a vine
- Vanilla is the world's most labor-intensive agricultural crop, which is why it's so expensive.
- It takes up to three years after the vines are planted before the first flowers appear.
Vanilla Flower- Because vanilla has always been so valuable, it has a long history of robbery and intrigue. In Madagascar, vanilla rustling was a major problem for many years. Growers branded the individual beans when they were green and the markings remained after they were dried.
Dried whole vanilla beans- Since vanilla is in demand, and because it's so expensive, synthetics are often used instead of natural vanilla. In fact, 97% of vanilla used as a flavor and fragrance is synthetic.
What is your favorite recipe using Vanilla?
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Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla
http://www.vanilla.com/html/facts-fastfacts.html
