Vanilla is the only edible fruit of the orchid family, the largest family of flowering plants in the world. It's a tropical orchid, and there are about 150 arieties of vanilla, though only two types - Bourbon and Tahitian -- are used commercially .Vanilla grows within the 20-degree band either side of the Equator and is native to the Americas. Vanilla planifolia (also known as fragrans ) grows on the Atlantic Gulf side of Mexico from Tampico around to the northeast tip of South America, and from Colima, Mexico to Ecuador on the Pacific side. It also grows throughout the Caribbean. The Totonaca people of the Gulf coast of Mexico were probably the first people to cultivate vanilla. They taught many other indigenous people how to grow vanilla during MesoAmerican times, and they continue to cultivate the fruit that they consider was given to them by the gods.
Vanilla first left Mexico in the early 1500s on ships bound for Spain. It was originally believed only to have value as a perfume. It wasn' t until Cortes arrived in 1519 that the Spaniards learned it was also a flavor. Until the late 19th century, Mexico had the monopoly on growing vanilla, but now Madagascar and Indonesia grow the majority of the world's crop . Additional countries that grow vanilla include Guatemala, Costa Rica, Uganda, China, India, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Fiji, Tahiti, and the Philippines. Vanilla is the world's most labor-intensive agricultural crop , which is why it's so expensive. It will take up to three years after the vines are planted before the first flowers appear. The fruits, which resemble big green beans, must remain on the vine for nine months in order to completely develop their signature aroma. However, when the beans are harvested, they have neither flavor nor fragrance. They develop these distinctive properties during the curing process. When the beans are harvested, they are treated with hot water or heat and are then placed in the sun every day for weeks-to-months until they have shrunk to 20% of their original size. After this process is complete, the beans are sorted for size and quality. Then they will rest for a month or two to finish developing their full flavor and fragrance. By the time they are shipped around the world, their aroma is quite remarkable!
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. Whenever someone suspected their beans were stolen, they could determine by their distinctive tattoo whether or not the beans were theirs.
Bourbon vanilla is named for the islands now known as Reunion and the Comoros, but in the early 19th century were called the Bourbon Islands. The Bourbon vanilla plant stock originally came from Mexico. Bourbon vanilla and Mexican vanilla are basically the same. Tahitian vanilla also originally comes from Mexican plant stock, but it mutated at some point in the last fifty to sixty years and became its own species. It is significantly different from Bourbon and Mexican vanilla.
The United States is the world's largest consumer of vanilla , followed by Europe - especially France. About 1400 tons of dried vanilla is produced worldwide each year. Our worldwide interest in natural vanilla has grown considerably in the past several years, however, and the current annual demand is for 2200 tons of vanilla.
Vanilla is not only used as a flavor in foods and beverages , but also in perfumes. It's also used in many industrial applications such as a flavoring for medicines and as a fragrance to conceal the strong smell of rubber tires, paint, and cleaning products.
The dairy industry uses a large percentage of the world's vanilla in ice creams, yogurt (fresh and frozen), and other flavored dairy products . Despite all the wonderful ice cream choices available in the market place, most customers say, "Make mine vanilla!"
Because vanilla is so much 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. Much more than just an ingredient in baked goods, vanilla is a magical flavoring and can do wonders for most foods and beverages. It's also very useful in calming our minds and bodies and helping us to feel good. Did you know that vanilla is.... an antacid ? Add a few drops to pineapple, fruit salads, or sauces containing citrus, to soften the sharpness and give it extra sweetening. Put a little vanilla in tomato sauces to neutralize the acidity. a lifter and enhancer? Add vanilla to give new "life" to flavorless seasonal fruits or other foods that need a flavor boost. Did you know that chocolate by itself tastes "flat" which is why it usually contains vanilla? an emulsifier ? Add vanilla extract to egg batters (sweet or savory), waffle or pancake mix, baked goods, or cream sauces to smooth and blend overpowering flavors. a natural sweetener? Add a few drops of vanilla to vegetables, sweet potatoes, and salad dressings. It increases the natural sweetness of vegetables and provides a delicate, subtle flavor to salads . an adjunct flavor for seafood, fowl, and meat? Use with roasted, sauted or barbequed meats, poultry, wild game or seafood. Split a vanilla bean and place it in a bottle of olive or other quality oils for sauting meats, poultry, or seafood, or add a few drops of vanilla extract to cooked fish, fowl, or game as well as to sauces and marinades. a stomach sedative? Add pure vanilla extract to mineral water or apple juice to settle a nervous stomach. To soothe and please cranky, teething or sick children add a few drops of vanilla to their milk or juice. Away from home and need something quickly? Coca cola is filled with vanilla, and therefore used in many countries for calming an agitated stomach . a natural calmative? Place several vanilla beans in a bottle or jar. Use as aromatherapy to soothe jangled nerves. Some medical facilities use the vanilla aroma to calm patients undergoing MRI and CAT scans. Burn your tongue on pizza or other hot food? Put a few drops of vanilla on your tongue to ease the pain and soothe the burn. Love the flavor of chilies but can't take the heat? Sweet neutralizes heat: add some vanilla to soften the bite but bring out the sweetness and flavor of the peppers . Have problems with spiders living on the underside of your furniture? Add a vanilla bean or two to your furniture polish. Apply to both sides of your furniture. Bugs don 't like the smell and will leave, whereas you will have the sweet smell of vanilla lingering in the air. House paint smell too strong? Add a tablespoon of vanilla extract to a gallon of paint to help cut the smell. Want to disguise your scent when fishing? Rub vanilla on your hands before handling your fishing line. Lots of seasoned fishermen and women use this trick. Want to attract attention with the opposite sex? Maybe even bring that special someone into your life? Wear some vanilla.
Be sure to look at our wonderful selection of natural and pure vanilla-fragranced products. All About Vanilla Extracts and Flavors Originally , everyone used vanilla beans. Vanilla extract has been commercially available for a little more than a hundred years. The first extracts were made at apothecary shops (the first pharmacies and drug stores) and were more like a tincture or syrup . They were strong and very sweet and were often used to calm upset stomachs. Now extracts are available just about everywhere - in convenience stores, supermarkets , fancy gourmet shops, and online. Along with extracts, there are additional products to choose from: natural vanilla flavor, cookie vanilla, imitation vanilla, vanilla blend, double-fold vanilla, vanilla paste, vanilla powder, etc.
Pure vanilla gives us one of the most complex tastes in the world, having well over 250 organic components creating its unique flavor and aroma. I'm often asked if one type of vanilla is better than the other. In truth, they're just different so it's a matter of your own personal taste. Even the same species of vanilla beans grown in different parts of the world will vary in flavor and aroma due to climate and soil differences . While some beans are higher in natural vanillin content than others, this isn' t the only indicator of flavor or quality. How do you decide which product to buy? Your preference may be influenced by what your family traditionally used for vanilla flavoring, the taste to which you are accustomed. The following list explains more about the products on the shelf. You may want to experiment some to decide which appeals to you.
Pure Vanilla Extract
There are about 150 varieties of vanilla, though only two are used commercially--Bourbon and Tahitian. Vanilla extract is made by percolating or macerating chopped vanilla beans with ethyl alcohol and water. The process is usually kept as cool as possible to keep flavor loss to a minimum, though some manufacturers feel that there must be heat to create the best extraction. Most companies use a consistent blend of beans, sometimes from several regions, to create their signature flavor. The extraction process takes about 48 hours after which the extracts will mellow in the tanks with the beans from days to weeks, depending on the processor, before being filtered into a holding tank where the amber-colored liquid extract remains until being bottled. While the Federal Food and Drug Administration has specific regulations in the United States regarding commercial extract manufacturing, there are variables that create significant differences in extract flavor and quality. For instance, the FDA requires a minimum of 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans to a gallon of a minimum of 35% alcohol to 65% water mixture. There are no regulations on the quality of the beans, so beans can range from premium-quality to the driest cuts and splits containing only small amounts of natural vanillin . Although 35% is the standard alcohol requirement, premium vanilla extracts often contain a higher percentage of alcohol in order to extract more flavor from the beans. More alcohol is okay with the FDA; less than 35% is not. The extract may also contain sugar, corn syrup, caramel, colors, or stabilizers. All additives must be on the label, but the FDA doesn't require that the percentage of additives be listed. As vanilla is naturally sweet, it isn't necessary to use additional sweeteners, though some companies use 25% or more sugar in their extracts and some use only a small percentage of sugar as a stabilizer . Adding 20% or more sugar to a newly made extract is like fortifying any alcoholic product. It takes the edge off the harshness of the un-aged product, which is, at least partially, why some companies continue to use a significant amount sugar in their flavorings. Extracts made with premium beans and little to no sugar offer a fresh clean flavor to cuisine . Though these extracts may be expensive, the flavor is cleaner and it carries well to the finished product. Vanilla ages during the time that it goes through the channels from factory to your shelf. Some companies hold the extracts in their manufacturing area for up to a year to make certain the extract is well aged before they ship it out. Vanilla extracts continue to develop body and depth for about two years, at which time they stabilize. They will keep indefinitely as long as they're stored in a cool dark place such as a pantry or cupboard that's away from the stove or bright sun. Refrigeration is not recommended.
Comparing extract quality is a lot like comparing whiskeys. There's a significant difference between low-end and name-brand Bourbon and Scotch. Part of the difference has to do with allowing the whiskey to age properly, without the use of chemical additives . The same is true for vanillas. Premium extracts may be more expensive, but the flavor will be significantly better because they've been made from the finest ingredients, contain few if any additives, and are naturally aged. This means that your fabulous secret family recipe cookies will be even better if you use quality vanilla extract. Varieties of Pure Vanilla Extracts Mexican vanilla is made from Vanilla planifolia (now sometimes called fragrans) plant stock indigenous to Mexico. It is a very smooth, creamy, spicy vanilla. It's especially good in desserts made without heat or with a short cooking time. Dark chocolate , cream desserts, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, ethnic foods, wild game, poultry or meat, all benefit from Mexican vanilla. Bourbon vanilla is a generic term for Vanilla planifolia, the vanilla most of us are familiar with as it's the most commonly used variety in extracts. Vanilla planifolia stock originated in Mexico, vanilla's birthplace, but cuttings were taken to other tropical countries beginning in the 1700s. In the 1800s, the French developed large plantations on Reunion, known then as the Ile de Bourbon, which is how the name Bourbon came into being. Although vanilla extract is high in alcohol content, it is not made from Bourbon whiskey. Bourbon and Mexican vanillas have the familiar natural vanillin flavor that we associate with vanilla ice cream and other vanilla-flavored desserts and beverages. Use Bourbon vanilla in baked goods, ice cream and anything where a traditional vanilla flavor is desired. Indonesian vanilla Depending on how Indonesian vanilla is cured and dried, it can be much like Bourbon vanilla, or it can have very distinctive differences. Some growers harvest their beans too early and use a short-term curing process that give the vanilla a more woody, phenolic flavor. As the early harvest keeps the beans from fully developing their flavor profile, it can be harsher and not as flavorful. It's important to note that not all Indonesian vanilla is harvested too early; premium grade Indonesian vanilla is excellent. Frequently Indonesian vanilla is blended with Bourbon vanilla to create a signature flavor . Indonesian vanilla tends to hold up well in high heat, so anything slow-baked or exposed to high heat (i.e. cookies), benefits from Indonesian vanilla. Indonesian vanilla is also quite good with chocolate as its flavor overides the sweetness of chocolate and gives it a beneficial flavor-boost. Chocolate's popularity is due, in part, from the sparkle it receives from other flavors as it tends to be somewhat dull on its own.
Tahitian vanilla (Vanilla tahitensis) comes from planifolia stock that was taken to Tahiti. Somehow it mutated, possibly in the wild. It is now classified as a separate species as it's considerably different in appearance and flavor from Bourbon vanilla . It is similar, however, to Vanilla Pompona, a variety of vanilla rarely used commercially, but that has religious and cultural significance with the Totonacas of Mexico, the first cultivators of vanilla. They consider Pompona the queen of vanilla, and she is always planted in a prominent place wherever they grow vanilla. Tahitian vanilla is sweeter and fruitier and has less natural vanillin than Bourbon and Mexican vanilla. Instead, it contains heliotropin (anis aldehyde), which is unique to its species. This gives it a more cherry-like, licorice, or raisiny taste. It has a very floral fragrance, the bean is fatter and moister than Bourbon vanilla, and contains fewer seeds inside its pod. Tahitian is especially nice in fruit compotes and desserts, as well as in sauces for poultry, seafood and wild game.