Vanilla - A Flavored Flav

By Hklbrries

Winding itself up a host tree deep in the jungles of Madagascar, Indonesia and Mexico, the delicate vanilla orchid produces a spice that is as labor-intensive as it is distinctive.

That heady aroma graces products as diverse as soft drinks and perfume. The orchid must be hand-pollinated and the bean it produces requires a lengthy curing process. Both factors contribute to making vanilla the second-most expensive spice after saffron.

Totonaca Indians of Mexico first discovered wild vanilla growing in the jungles surrounded by coffee plants and cocoa trees. In the area now known as Veracruz, the Indians went on gathering parties, sniffing out the inviting aroma of the ripening pods.

In the mythology of the ancient Indians, the vanilla plant sprouted forth from the spot where two young lovers were murdered, their spilled blood making fertile ground for the sweet, aromatic orchid. Spanish conquistadors brought vanilla plants back to Europe where they grew successfully. However, the plants did not flower since vanilla’s lone natural pollinator, the Melipona bee, could not survive outside of Mexico and Central America. This led to Mexico’s monopoly of the vanilla business for hundreds of years.

In 1841, a former slave living on the French Island of Bourbon (now Reunion Island) off the coast of Madagascar figured out how to hand pollinate the vanilla orchid, and commercial cultivation of vanilla outside of Mexico began.

Today, Madagascar, Indonesia, Mexico and Tahiti produce the majority of vanilla, with each variety carrying unique flavor characteristics.

It starts with the bean:
Vanilla beans have a long journey before they reach your kitchen. The beautiful yellow flower of the vanilla orchid bears a fruit, or bean, which is harvested and cured before commercial consumption. The curing process consists of four phases: “killing” to stop the vegetative growth; “sweating” by raising the temperature and promoting enzymatic reactions in the bean; “drying” to reduce moisture content and “conditioning” the beans by storing them in closed boxes for three months or longer to allow the flavor and aroma to develop. The entire curing process can take up to eight months.

Regardless of their size or shape, quality vanilla beans should have a rich aroma and a shiny, sleek appearance. Beware of beans that show signs of mildew, look dry and brittle, or lack any noticeable aroma.

Some recipes call for slitting the bean lengthwise and scraping out the tiny black seeds to be used in the recipe. Don’t worry if you find little white specs inside the bean – these crystals are filled with “vanillin,” the active ingredient that provides the characteristic vanilla aroma and taste.

Vanilla beans can also be used whole, boiled or steeped in liquid to provide flavor. Pastry chef and Bittersweet Bakery owner Gina Garcia likes to use vanilla beans in custards and pastry creams.

“I use vanilla beans in our coconut cream cake, because of their milder flavor,” Garcia says. She prefers pure vanilla extract in recipes that call for a sharper vanilla flavor.

Vanilla Extract:
Vanilla extract is made by combining crushed or ground vanilla beans with water and alcohol and aging the resulting mixture.

“Each vanilla extract has it own unique flavor,” explains Heidi Tsadilas, manager of Gourmet Way, a specialty food and wine store in Dalton Gardens, Idaho.

Madagascar Bourbon vanilla is the most popular for baking, Tsadilas says. This vanilla does not contain bourbon, but is named after the Bourbon Islands.

“Mexican vanilla is spicier, and works well in chilis and tomato based cooking,” Tsadilas says. She describes Tahitian vanilla as having notes of licorice, and recommends it for flavoring ice cream and other rich dishes. Used in smaller amounts, vanilla can balance out sharp citrus flavors and reduces the acidity of tomato based dishes. Vanilla is used to enhance the flavors in chocolate, coffee, soda drinks and confectionaries, as it increases our perception of sweetness, and improves our ability to taste other flavors.

“When you are looking for vanilla extract, make sure it is labeled pure vanilla. Imitation extracts can leave a bitter aftertaste,” says Vicky Frickle of The Kitchen Engine. Products called vanilla flavoring are a mix of pure vanilla extract and imitation vanilla.

To make your own vanilla extract, chop three or four vanilla beans into small pieces, carefully saving all of the seeds. Put the pieces and the seeds into a clean jar and cover with about a half a cup of brandy, rum or vodka. Let the mixture steep in a cool place for one to six months. Vodka must steep the longest (six months) but will result in a milder extract than the brandy soaked vanilla. You can strain the extract before using or incorporate the bean pieces into your recipe.

Powder and paste:
Vanilla powder is made by drying vanilla extract onto a cornstarch base, creating an alcohol-free vanilla flavoring. Vanilla powder is popular in dry mixes and recipes that are color-sensitive, since the powder is white. “One of my customers mixes vanilla powder with the herbal sweetener stevia,” says Chris Imes, Lorien Herbs and Natural Market co-owner. The sweetened vanilla powder can be sprinkled on cereal and fruit, mixed into coffee and tea or added to smoothies.

Vanilla paste is a dark, concentrated syrup-like mixture flavored with vanilla extract and flecked with vanilla seeds. “Cooks like to use it for its cost effectiveness,” Tsadilas says. One tablespoon of vanilla paste can be substituted for one vanilla bean in recipes, at considerably lower cost.

Storing vanilla:
Keep the beans in an airtight container, such as a glass jar with a lid, and store on a shelf in a cool, dry place, away from the heat of the stove. Don’t put them in the refrigerator or freezer, which could introduce moisture and cause the beans to spoil. “I have some beans I’ve had for 10 years,” says Bittersweet’s Garcia. After she has used the seeds inside, Garcia saves the pods and puts them in granulated sugar to add flavor and aroma to the sugar. Whole vanilla beans or pods that have been used to flavor sauces can be rinsed, air dried and reused. Vanilla extract will last indefinitely if stored with similar care, in a cool, dark place.

Natural versus imitation:
In its March and April 2009 issue, Cook’s Illustrated conducted a taste test to compare the flavor of natural vanilla extract to imitation vanilla, which is chemically manufactured as a byproduct of paper production. Cook’s Illustrated had conducted such research twice in the past, and had concluded that when it comes to baking, imitation vanilla provided a quality vanilla flavor on par with the real thing.

Back in the test kitchen once again, this recent study discovered that temperature plays a key role in the effectiveness of various vanilla products. The flavor of natural vanilla begins to dissipate at 280 to 300 degrees. The imitation vanilla held its flavor better in cookies, generally baked above that range. In cakes, however, where the internal temperature hovers around 210 degrees, the natural vanilla held a slight flavor advantage. Vanilla beans were the clear winner for ice creams, custards and creamy sauces. The article concluded that if you use vanilla mainly for baking, you’ll probably be satisfied with imitation vanilla. But if you use vanilla in savory dishes, ice creams, custards and baking, go for the real thing.

Experiment with vanilla in all its different forms.

Ingredients

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Preparation

Step 1

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