Vanilla
Fruit of an orchid, vanilla is a much-loved, strong tasting spice, it is available in the shops in three forms: pods, powder or extract. It is preferable to use it in pod form as its flavour remains intact for longer.
History
Vanilla was discovered in the "Indies" by Christopher Columbus during his third journey in September 1502. When the Spaniards set foot on land, the natives offered them chocolate flavoured with vanilla, the Aztecs' cacaoatl. They called the vanilla pod "tlilxochilt", but as the name was unpronounceable, "vanilla" (small pod in Spanish) was adopted. Vanilla was already a luxury spice for the Aztecs. They would offer it to their emperor as a tribute.
The Conquistador H. Cortès brought back many vanilla plants home which never produced any pods as the bird and bee species which fertilised the pods did not exist in Europe. For a long time therefore, the only vanilla pods found in Europe came from Mexico only.
In 1841, a young slave changed the history of vanilla by observing plantations and inventing a method of artificial fertilisation of vanilla flowers. This method is still used today. Since, vanilla farming has spread all over the world: Madagascar, Indonesia, Mexico, China… Tahiti also produces a special vanilla, Luahine vanilla produced by Vanilla tahitensis which has its own special taste!
Beliefs
- Aphrodisiac :
in the seventeenth century, at Louis XIV's court, it was bought in hiding and was called "Richelieu's pastille"... but it was used to flavour tobacco and fragrance toilets
Virtues
- Digestive and Stimulant.
- But, be careful, at high doses, it can cause inflammation and irritation.
Tips and tricks
- Choice: Beautiful brown-black, oily colour, flexible, plump and sometimes frosty!
- The best is frosted vanilla (naturally covered with vanillin crystals).
- Storage: in a well sealed jar.
- Remember to recycle vanilla pods by washing them, they lose little of their flavour...
- Vanilla goes well with: desserts, chocolate, punch, white meat, fish, shellfish, etc…
Composition
- 25% sugar
- 15% fat
- 15 to 30 % cellulose
- 6% minerals
- 35% water
- 2% essential oil :
- 90% vanillin
- 9% p-hydroxy-benzaldehyd
- 0.9% p-hydroxybenzyl methyl ester
- and more than 130 other compounds (phenols, phenol ether, alcohols, carbonyls, acids, esters, lactones, etc...)
- two vitispiran stereoisomeres (2,10,10-trimethyl-1,6-methylidene-1-oxaspiro(4,5)dec-7-ene)
The plant
Vanilla Planifolia ou V.Fragrans
Orchidaceae family
Vanilla is the only orchid, of the 30,000 species, that produces fleshy fruit. It is a creeper with aerial roots and can grow up to 5 metres tall in the shade of a supporting tree. It has evergreen leaves and pale green flowers. It is found in warm and humid tropical climates (originally in central America only).
Vanilla produces its first fruit in its fourth year. They will take 7 months to mature. green pods 10 to 20 cm long, that have no scent!
To bring out the characteristic smell of vanilla, they need to be processed to release the vanillin. Firstly, the pods are dipped into a bath at 60-70°C. Then steamed for 12 hours, then dried for 2 to 3 weeks in the sun and one month in the shade. They are then matured in crates (it takes 1 to 2 years to obtain frosted pods). This process blackens the pods, releases the aroma and frosts the more mature pods: i.e. the vanilla forms small white crystals on the pod.
- other species
- Vanilla fragrans variegata : : the same but with white and green variegated leaves
- Vanilla Tahitensis in Tahiti which only contains heliotropin
- Vanilla Pompona in Guadeloupe
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Vanilla
