Vanilla

About Vanilla

The only edible fruit of the orchid family, the largest flowering plant family. Each flower opens for only one morning and must be hand-pollinated within hours - a technique invented by a 12-year-old slave named Edmond Albius on Reunion Island in 1841. It is the second most expensive spice after saffron. Madagascar produces 80% of world supply. Natural vanilla contains over 250 flavor compounds that synthetic vanilla (vanillin) cannot replicate. The curing process takes 6-9 months. The Aztecs used it to flavor chocolate. A single vanilla bean sells for $5-15. Climate change threatens global production.