Vanilla

Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, the main species harvested for vanilla is Vanilla planifolia. Al-though it is na-tive to Mexico, it is now widely grown throughout the tropics. Indonesia and Madagascar are the world’s largest producers. The distinctively flavored compounds are found in the fruit, which re-sults from the pollination of the flower.

These seedpods are roughly a third of an inch (8 mm) by six inch-es (15 cm), and brownish red to black when ripe. Inside of these pods is an oily liquid full of tiny seeds. The fruit contains tiny, black seeds. In dishes prepared with whole natural vanilla, these seeds are recognizable as black specks. Both the pod and the seeds are used in cooking. Vanilla flavoring in food may be achieved by adding vanilla extract or by cooking vanilla pods in the liquid preparation