Posted on 04/18/2020 2:14:44 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The legend says that vanilla was introduced to Europe by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, who had seen the Aztec Emperor Montezuma drink his xocolatl (sort of a chocolate drink) with a bit of vanilla. The Mesoamerican flavoring gained massively in popularity in the 19th century, when botanists found a way to hand-pollinate it, which allowed for it to be grown around the world.
Today, the vast majority of vanilla (some 60%-80%) comes from the African island of Madagascar, and it is the second most expensive spice (only behind saffron) in the world, mostly because it’s difficult to produce. However, at the moment there is a real shortage of natural vanilla, as the vanilla bean cannot meet the demand due to challenging growing conditions, labor exploitation, and deforestation in Madagascar.
Dr. Ian Klein claims he can solve that by producing natural vanilla from the abundant corn fiber.
The 2015 Under 30 honoree and a PhD in Chemistry from Purdue University, has been working on this issue for several years as a Chief Technology Officer of Santa Barbara-based Spero Renewables. The company currently has two pending patents on natural vanilla production (one of which is late stage), and is in the process of raising a $1.5 million seed round which they hope to close in the next several months.
“Consumers today are demanding natural and sustainable products, especially in the food industry where they want ingredients that they know rather than artificial flavorings,” Klein says.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
We have four bottles sitting in the pantry. Easy peasy.
I like colorless artificial vanilla, too. That’s been out of stock for a while.
Foodies learned about this coming pockey-clips a few years ago.
Do without and dream about scraping those tiny flecs out of dark brown pods, instead of trying the “vanilla flavouring” in the big bottle on the other shelf with the real low price.
You will thank me.
It is so very gross. Not even usable for a dash into oatmeal.
I don’t see the need for corn made when Mexico can just increase production to meet demand. We use the Mexican vanilla.
Besides, the next thing you know, when they find they can make vanilla out of corn, it will become another gasoline mandated additive.
The world facing a natural vanilla shortage?
= = =
Mayor Ray Nagin on Tuesday apologized for urging residents to rebuild a “chocolate New Orleans”
Remember?
Vanilla replaced rose water as a flavor enhancer in the US and many places in Europe. Rosewater is much cheaper and far more sustainable. It’s a slightly different flavor, but still good in ice creams, frostings, some cookies and cakes it’s a fail in chocolate chips). I love discussing this as well as “the fair trade/colonial” practices with any SJW who brags about using Madagascar vanilla
Rose water is so easy to make, as well.
I’ve never thought of vanilla as a spice. More of a flavoring. But maybe that’s just a matter of semantics.
Make vanilla illegal and the drug smugglers will figure out how to mass produce those orchid beans.
Vanillin [the fake stuff] has a funky cloying flavor that is almost nauseating, like the “maple flavored” syrup made from corn syrup. Neither compare to the real thing.
Then there is Tahitian vanilla which is a product that people in Papua New Guinea are growing.
You can dramatically improve imitation vanilla by adding a few real vanilla beans to it and letting it age.
6 months
Mexico also is known for making lots of the fake stuff- they sell it cheap in large plastic bottles.
Vodka, vanilla beans, mason jar.
Rum! Use a good quality rum.
I used to work at a dairy which made very good (as in tasting) 16% butterfat ice cream, and I always though the flavor was better when made with imitation vanilla.
I can’t in baked stuff, but I can in my coffee... If I am drinking cold brew.
Need to experiment with imitation + vodka to see if my opinion changes there.
here’s a working link:
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