By Hunter Lu
Vanilla, a blanket description for anyone or anything that is bland, lame or uninteresting. Plus, it's also probably the least exciting ice cream flavor ever. No one has ever gone into an ice cream shop and said, "Yes! They have vanilla!? Nobody has that!"
But vanilla is also the second most expensive spice in the world and has up to 200 different flavor compounds. It's so labor extensive that the drying process to prepare vanilla pods for consumption can take up to six months.
Confused? No need to fret, vanilla expert Matt Nielsen of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas International BV is on episode 286 of The Farm Report to share his expertise on the subject. Want a little taste before diving into the episode? Check out these fun facts about vanilla.
Vanilla Pods Look Like Green Beans
Take a look at these two pictures. Can you tell which one is vanilla and which one is the humble green bean?
Trick question, both of them are actually vanilla beans. Those skinny, brown pods you're probably picturing? They're actually dried and cured vanilla beans. Fresh vanilla beans taste pretty similar to regular ole' green beans - it's the drying and curing process that draws out the flavor of the vanilla.
Vanilla is Shy
Vanilla is not the easiest plant to manage. Take this fact for instance: the plant only blooms once a year, and if that wasn't hard enough, it also has to be hand-pollinated. Think about it - people actually have to go around on a giant plantation containing thousands of plants and painstakingly rub pollen on each individual vanilla flower. Someone needs to give those vanilla pollinators a pay raise.
There's Vanilla in My Tacos
Think vanilla can only be used in desserts? Well prepare to be educated on the world of savory vanilla dishes by checking out this recipe guide by Nielsen-Massey to find interesting ways to use vanilla, like adding them to pork carnitas with pico de gallo or Thai-style Tofu Cashew Curry. Considering that vanilla is originally from Mexico, it's really not that crazy to imagine them as a great addition to tacos.
Vanilla is the New Black
Now that you've been enlightened on the glory of vanilla, your life will never be quite the same. Instead of getting ice cream that's loaded with everything but the kitchen sink, you'll be clamoring for more scoops of vanilla. White will be your new favorite color and if someone ever describes you as being vanilla, you'll think, "Wow, I must really be special and expensive." But the fun doesn't have to stop here, so be sure to check out this episode of The Farm Report to get the full scoop on vanilla.