France / Vanilla

Vanilla is a pod painstakingly produced by hand pollination of delicate pale orchid flower that only bloom one morning a year. If successful, a green fingerlike seed pod will ripen, and eventually split at the end. The pod is then cured, blanched and hot water to stop fermentation, and then dried, and placed in large containers to sweat for 36 to 48 hours changing color from green to the dark brown. They are then left to dried in the sun, and sweat in the cool of night For a period of 5 to 15 days before being dried. All of this brings out the aroma we associate with vanilla. It takes 5 to 7 pounds of green vanilla pods to produce 1 pound of vanilla beans.

The oldest reports of vanilla usage come from the Mayan who used it in a beverage with another pod, cocao. The beloved pair were brought to Europe by the Spanish conquistadors in 1519. The French and English both try to cultivated in botanical Gardens, but could never get the orchid to go to seed. It was later discovered that a very specific bee Native to South America was responsible for pollinating it. In 1841 an enslaved boy on Reunion in the Indian ocean, figured out how to develop how to hand pollinate the flower. This enabled the aromatic and intoxicating pod to quickly find its way into pastries, perfumes and medicines.

Brillat Savarin – Butternut Pancake with Brown Butter

Sea Scallop with Cauliflower Purée and Capers

Walnut Cake, Vanilla Marshmallow, Caramel