Vanilla
The genus vanilla belongs to the orchid and comprises about 110 species but only a few of them are of particular interest for gourmets and sensitive noses. This climbing plant is native to Mexico and Central America and even the Aztecs valued and enjoyed it along with cocoa. An important representative is the spice vanilla (Vanilla planifolia), also named Bourbon vanilla because of its cultivation on the Île Bourbon, now the Île Réunion. The second most important type is the Tahitian vanilla (Vanilla tahitensis), which has a milder flavor and a stronger odor. The pods which are actually capsule fruits are harvested just before ripening and subjected to an elaborate process including fermentation. The fruit capsules shrink to the well-known, black-brown stems and during this process the characteristic aromatic vanillin is produced. The delicious warm, herb-spicy, fragrance which always calls to mind calorie-rich delicacies enjoys great popularity in many fragrances.
