Vanilla

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='Maximilianus' timestamp='1327024720' post='2371759']
You need to get that checked out by a doctor.
[/quote]

[Lil'Monster]

Max is right

[Lisa]

[img]http://www3.noveleats.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/vanillaextract14.jpg[/img]

[sixpence]

i looveeeeeeeeeeeee VANILLA EVERYTHING !!!! ESPECIALLY VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM AND VANILLA BEAN CHEESECAKE!!!



AHHHHH!!!!!!

[Lisa]

Wikipedia:


[color=#000000][font=sans-serif][size=3][b]Vanilla[/b] is a [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavoring"]flavoring[/url] derived from [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchid"]orchids[/url] of the genus [i][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla_(orchid)"]Vanilla[/url][/i], primarily from the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexica"]Mexican[/url] species, [b]Flat-leaved Vanilla[/b] ([i][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla_planifolia"]V. planifolia[/url][/i]). The word [i]vanilla[/i] derives from the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_language"]Spanish[/url] word "vainilla", [i]little pod[/i].[sup][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla#cite_note-Ackerman-0"][1][/url][/sup] [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Columbian"]Pre-Columbian[/url][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesoamerican"]Mesoamerican[/url] peoples cultivated vanilla and Spanish conquistador [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hern%C3%A1n_Cort%C3%A9s"]Hernán Cortés[/url] is credited with introducing both vanilla and chocolate to [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe"]Europe[/url] in the 1520s.[sup][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla#cite_note-nashville-1"][2][/url][/sup][/size][/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=sans-serif][size=3]Attempts to cultivate the vanilla plant outside Mexico and Central America proved futile because of the symbiotic relationship between the tlilxochitl vine that produced the vanilla orchid and the local species of[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melipona"][i]Melipona[/i] bee[/url]; it was not until 1837 that Belgian botanist [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fran%C3%A7ois_Antoine_Morren"]Charles François Antoine Morren[/url] discovered this fact and pioneered a method of artificially pollinating the plant. The method proved financially unworkable and was not deployed commercially.[sup][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla#cite_note-hazen-2"][3][/url][/sup] In 1841, [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmond_Albius"]Edmond Albius[/url], a 12-year-old slave who lived on the French island of[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9union"]Réunion[/url] in the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Ocean"]Indian Ocean[/url], discovered the plant could be [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand-pollination"]hand-pollinated[/url]. Hand-pollination allowed global cultivation of the plant.[sup][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla#cite_note-silvercloud-3"][4][/url][/sup][/size][/font][/color]

[color=#000000][font=sans-serif][size=3]There are currently three major [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultivar"]cultivars[/url] of vanilla grown globally, all of which derive from a species originally found in [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesoamerica"]Mesoamerica[/url], including parts of modern day Mexico.[sup][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla#cite_note-4"][5][/url][/sup] The various subspecies are [i]Vanilla planifolia[/i](syn. [i]V. fragrans[/i]), grown on [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagascar"]Madagascar[/url], Réunion, and other tropical areas along the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Ocean"]Indian Ocean[/url]; [i]V. tahitensis[/i], grown in the South Pacific; and [i]V. pompona[/i], found in the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Indies"]West Indies[/url], [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_America"]Central[/url], and [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_America"]South America[/url].[sup][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla#cite_note-5"][6][/url][/sup] The majority of the world's vanilla is the [i]V. planifolia[/i] variety, more commonly known as [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourbon_vanilla"]Bourbon vanilla[/url] (after the former name of Réunion, Île Bourbon) or [b]Madagascar vanilla[/b], which is produced in Madagascar and neighboring islands in the southwestern Indian Ocean, and in [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia"]Indonesia[/url].[sup][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla#cite_note-Rodelle-6"][7][/url][/sup][sup][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla#cite_note-nielson-massey-7"][8][/url][/sup] [i][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptotes_bicolor"]Leptotes bicolor[/url][/i]is used in the same way in South America.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#000000][font=sans-serif][size=3]Vanilla is the second most expensive spice after [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saffron"]saffron[/url],[sup][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla#cite_note-8"][9][/url][/sup][sup][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla#cite_note-Parthasarathy-9"][10][/url][/sup] because growing the vanilla seed pods is labor-intensive.[sup][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla#cite_note-Parthasarathy-9"][10][/url][/sup] Despite the expense, vanilla is highly valued for its [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavor"]flavor[/url], which author Frederic Rosengarten, Jr. described in [i]The Book of Spices[/i] as "pure, spicy, and delicate" and its complex floral aroma depicted as a "peculiar bouquet".[sup][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla#cite_note-10"][11][/url][/sup] As a result, vanilla is widely used in both commercial and domestic [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baking"]baking[/url], [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfume"]perfume[/url] manufacture and [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromatherapy"]aromatherapy[/url].[/size][/font][/color]

Edited January 20, 2012 by Lisa

[LinaSt.Cecilia2772]

Vanilla + Caramel = pure deliciousness.



but i still like chocolate better.

[brandelynmarie]

Lina, you reminded me of homemade vanilla caramels.

[img]http://sweetandsaucy.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/ribbon_caramels1.jpg?w=500[/img]

[brandelynmarie]

Of course there are chocolate dipped vanilla caramels, too.

[img]http://www.recipe.com/images/chocolate-dipped-vanilla-caramels-1681-l.jpg[/img]

[brianthephysicist]

[quote name='Lisa' timestamp='1327027374' post='2371812']
[img]http://www3.noveleats.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/vanillaextract14.jpg[/img]
[/quote]
does that say made with vodka?

[IcePrincessKRS]

It does. It was probably homemade.

[url="http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/2011/09/diy-vanilla-extract-works-for-me.html"]http://bakeat350.blo...rks-for-me.html[/url]

ETA: I was right, found the source. (All homemade vanilla extract recipes are pretty much standard, beans + vodka + time = vanilla extract.) http://www.noveleats.com/how-to/make-your-own-vanilla-extract/

[i<3LSOP]

[quote name='Lil'Monster' timestamp='1327021358' post='2371699']
Chocolate is better though
[/quote][quote name='Lil'Monster' timestamp='1327024165' post='2371746']
chocolate is still the best though..sorry
[/quote]

Right on, chica. I love chocolate.

So does Sr. Mary Grace and my lil sis.