Vanilla

Vanilla, though one of the most widely used flavorings in the world, is only second to saffron in its cost of production. Most of the vanilla flavoring used today is synthetic.

Vanilla comes from the pod fruit of a climbing orchid native to Central and northern South America. Cultivated for more than a 1,000 years, the Aztecs used it as a flavoring for their chocolate. The Spaniards were introduced to it during colonization, and gave it its name. In the 19th century, Charles Morren, a Belgian botanist figured out how to pollinate vanilla flowers by hand. This discovery allowed for production of vanilla in areas that lacked the pollinating insects of Central America. The French took it to the islands of the coast of Africa, which now supply much of the world's Bourbon vanilla.  Indonesia and Madagascar are today's largest vanilla producers.

The process for making vanilla is long and complex. Long after pollination, the vanilla orchids produce green pods that contain thousands of tiny seeds embedded in a mixture of sugars, fats, amino-acids, and phenolic-sugar storage compounds. The pods are exposed to high heat in order to prevent the pod from using up its sugars and amino acids, and to damage the pods' cells such that the phenolic storage compounds and browning enzymes (polyphenoloxidases) react. Phenolic compounds cluster into colored aggregates causing the vanilla pods to change color from green to brown. The pods are exposed to the sun for several days, then wrapped and allowed to "sweat." This process frees vanillin and related phenolic molecules from their sugar molecules, and develops the vanilla flavor. Finally, the pods are dried for several weeks, and aged to further develop their flavor. It takes 3-5 lbs of fresh pods to make 1 lb of cured beans.

Bourbon vanilla is considered to be the finest type, with the richest flavor. Indonesian beans are lighter and the pods contain less vanillin. Mexican beans contain about half the vanillin of Bourbon vanilla (though the process to develop the vanilla can last several months longer). Rare Tahitian vanilla beans have much less vanillin but carry unique flowery flavors.

Vanilla extracts are made by chopping vanilla beans, repeatedly exposing them to rinses of alcohol and water over the course of several days, and aging them to develop flavor. Artificial vanilla flavoring contains synthetic vanillin made from industrial by-products, such as wood lignin. Though the flavor is not complex like whole vanilla, the cost of production is about 100 times less than real vanilla.

The sticky, resinous material and tiny seeds of the vanilla bean can be easily scrapped and dispersed in food preparation directly. The fibrous pod wall can also be used to flavor dishes but must be soaked in either fat or alcohol to extract its flavor. Prepared vanilla extracts can be dispersed throughout a dish instantly. Keep in mind that they are best added toward the end of cooking as any time spent at high temperatures reduces their aroma.