|
|
The Exquisite Flavor of Mexican Vanilla
Not too many people know that vanilla hails from Mexico, well, save for vanilla aficionados and the bulk of gourmet chefs who prefer to use vanilla to enhance the taste of the scrumptious dishes they prefer. But in actuality, vanilla does hail from Mexico; moreover, Mexican vanilla is still very popular amongst consumers and aficionados alike.
For centuries now, even dating back to the time of the Aztecs, vanilla has been consistently used to flavor all sorts of dishes. Interestingly, and not too many people know this, vanilla actually remained quite the coveted secret amongst the native Mexicans. That is, up until the expeditions of Christopher Columbus and the rest of the Spanish explorers started arriving on Mexican soil. Throughout the history of Mexican vanilla, people have always believed that it was of superior variety because these beans do come with a relatively higher concentration of the substance known as vanillin. Vanillin is actually the natural compound that you find in vanilla, which is responsible for its aroma and flavor. Mexican vanilla is believed to contain more vanillin than any other vanilla bean in the whole world.
The seedpod known as the vanilla bean is actually the produce of the orchid known as the vanilla planifola. Indigenous to Mexican soil, these orchids are viney in nature and should be pollinated to promote the production of this special fruit. Melipone bees and a certain kind of hummingbird deal with the pollination portion of the production process. Since these animals live only in Mexico, then the flowers need to be hand pollinated in other portions of the world for fruition to be achieved. However, it would be so much better to have the beans naturally pollinated because this way, the produced flavor would be at its tastiest.
Traditionally, Mexican vanilla was used in xocoatl, a known Aztec drink. This drink is actually comprised of ground cocoa beans dipped in extremely hot water that is flavored with cinnamon, vanilla, and spicy peppers sometimes. Today's Mexican hot chocolate is served with the above mentioned spices, giving the beverage its trademark aroma and flavor. Mexican vanilla is also used in the usual baking of ice cream, custard, as well as other baked products.
In the global perspective, the production of Mexican valley constitutes just a small portion of vanilla production worldwide. Moreover, growing popularity of the vanilla orchid has led to its exportation to Madagascar and the Bourbon islands - and this has directly affected the market of Mexican vanilla, even leading to its incessant shrinking. Still, true Mexican vanilla imparts quite a deliciously rich vanilla flavor that is unique all on its own. This makes Mexican vanilla strong enough to contend in the global market, despite its shrinking capacities.
Make sure to purchase genuine Mexican vanilla and not those synthetic varieties. Some of these synthetic varieties actually come from coal tar as well as the Tonka bean, which is known to be toxic. Thus, you need to purchase Mexican vanilla extract with extra caution. Make sure to go for the real thing from reputable dealers, and not one of those synthetic varieties prepared just about anywhere.
About the Author Mexican vanilla is believed to contain more vanillin than any other vanilla bean in the whole world. Give it a try! If you are looking vanilla powder or for other vanilla extract, visit Vanilla Importers (http://www.vanillaimporters.com).
|
 |
Please Rate: |
|
Rating: |
 Processing ... |
(Average: Not rated) |
| Views: | 39 | |
|
| More Articles from Food and Drink | | |
| Top Articles in Food and Drink | | |
|
