While I was trying to decide what spice we should investigate this month, a coworker asked me, “Is vanilla considered a spice?” Is it ever! Nationalgeographic.com describes vanilla as a “stunningly complex and subtle spice, containing at a guess somewhere between 250 and 500 different flavor and fragrance components.”

Interestingly, (and a little surprising to this chocolate lover) the International Ice Cream Association ranks vanilla at the top of ice-cream lovers’ lists of favorite ice cream flavors: vanilla the is first choice of 29 percent of ice-cream eaters, followed by chocolate (8.9 percent), butter pecan (5.3 percent), and strawberry (5.3 percent). While many kitchens may hold a bottle of vanilla extract, or its less potent cousin, imitation vanilla extract, nothing beats the flavor of actual vanilla beans, freshly harvested from the vanilla bean pod.

Don’t forget to add your comments below. Let us know if you tried any of our vanilla bean recipes and how they turned out. We’d love to see your own vanilla bean recipes, as well!

History

Vanilla is a member of the orchid family, one of over 25,000 species of this diverse plant. Native to South and Central America and the Caribbean, the first people to have farmed it seem to have been the Totonacs of Mexico’s east coast. The Aztecs acquired vanilla when they conquered the Totonacs in the 15^th century; the Spanish then secured it when they conquered the Aztecs. One source claims that it was explorer Hernan Cortes who introduced the spice to western Europe, along with other such American imports as jaguars, opossums, and armadillos.

Until the 17^th century, vanilla was considered nothing more than an additive for chocolate. Hugh Morgan, a creative apothecary who worked for Queen Elizabeth 1, invented chocolate-free, all vanilla flavored confections, which the queen adored. By the next century, the French were using the spice to flavor ice cream – a confection discovered by Thomas Jefferson in the 1780s when he lived in Paris as American Minister to France. He was so taken by the delicious treat that he copied down a recipe, which is now preserved in the Library of Congress.

Presently, nearly 80 percent of the world’s vanilla comes from small family farms in Madagascar, followed by Comoros, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Uganda. Unfortunately, catastrophic storms in 2017 wiped out many Madagascar vanilla farms, causing a worldwide shortage. Adding to the fact that vanilla is one of the most labor-intensive crops to grow (the orchids flower just once a year and hand pollination must take place on that day – following this, the plan takes 9 months to reach maturity), vanilla is the second most expensive spice in the world right now, with saffron being the costliest.

Medicinal Uses

While you can find multiple sources that claim vanilla can be used to reduce cholesterol and inflammation, prevent acne and aid in hair care, there is little scientific proof for these claims. Webmd.com says that while people use vanilla for conditions such as intestinal gas, fever, tooth decay, to increase sexual desire (as an aphrodisiac), and to reduce anxiety, there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

How Can I Use Vanilla?

To achieve the richest, most intense flavor of vanilla in your recipes, splurge for the actual vanilla bean, which is usually available in your local grocery store. Look for a plump, glossy pod, which will deliver the most “bang for your buck.”

Once you’ve scraped the seeds from the vanilla bean, hang onto that leftover pod! Place it in a sealed container with a cup of sugar and you’ll soon have vanilla-flavored sugar for your coffee or tea. Vanilla sugar is also a delicious topping for fresh berries, baked fruit, or your morning oatmeal.

Whether you use the leftover bean to flavor your maple syrup, or whip up a batch of vanilla sugar body scrub, the vanilla bean pod is a most versatile part of the plant!

Fun Facts about Vanilla

If your beans are dry and brittle instead of glossy and plump, this means they’re older and may have dried out. Try this rehydration method from mumstheword.com:

Take dried out beans – broke, whole – ANY and place in a shallow dish. A pie plate or casserole dish works great!
Pour warm water over the top of beans covering them 1 1/2 – 2 inches.
Cover dish with saran wrap and wait 10 minutes.
Beans will plump up and rehydrate and should be bendable. If they are not as plump as you want, dump water and start over. I’ve let my beans go as long as overnight and they were UBER plump the next day and perfect! However if you need them right away, the 10 minute method works great!

Vanilla extract consists of the specks from the bean that have been macerated with alcohol and water. While extract can work great in recipes, be sure to avoid the imitation varieties which may be watered down.

Vanilla is the only fruit-bearing member of the orchid family.

The flower that produces the vanilla bean lasts only one day. The beans are hand-picked and then cured, wrapped, and dried in a process that takes 4 to 6 months. (Some sources say 9 months).

In Europe, vanilla was once used in the production of certain medicines such as nerve stimulants and as an aphrodisiac.

Pure vanilla extract contains 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans per gallon during extraction, according to FDA specifications.

Only the melipona bee, found in Central America, can pollinate vanilla. In other parts of the world, humans duplicate the process using a wooden needle.

One tablespoon of vanilla extract has 37 calories, a large portion of which comes from sugars and alcohol.

If you don’t have a kitchen torch to get that wonderful crystallized topping on your crème brulee, try this oven broiler approach, courtesy of optimisticmommy.com:

Place your Crème Brulee ramekin on a baking pan. Just before you put the baking pan inside the oven, sprinkle some sugar on top. Now let the baked custard broil in oven for about 3 to 5 minutes. After hearing the ting sound of the oven, you will see the sugar has turned into brown, crispy, and caramelly crust.

Recipes

Crème Brulee https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/228516/classic-infused-creme-brulee/

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Vanilla-Bean-Ice-Cream-513399?prm-v1

Vanilla Bean Pudding https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/vanilla-bean-pudding

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies (this recipe does require two vanilla beans) https://www.landolakes.com/recipe/20603/vanilla-bean-sugar-cookies/

Homemade Vanilla Extract https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-vanilla-extract/

Roasted Chicken with Vanilla Bean Butter Sauce https://liveseasoned.com/roasted-chicken-vanilla-bean-butter-sauce/

Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappucino (this looks like a fun recipe, using vanilla bean ice cream) https://www.eatingonadime.com/starbucks-vanilla-bean-frappuccino-recipe/