Vanilla has a wonderful flavor and, as it turns out, is originally from Mexico. The Veracruz region known for its vanilla is in the central part of the State in the region encompassing the town of Papantla. This is also the town where the famous ruins of Tajin are visited and the flying men “voladores” put on their amazing show.
Cortez was introduced to the flavor of vanilla when he was offered a favorite drink of the Aztecs. This drink was called "Xocohotl" and was basically chocolate and vanilla. He was so taken with this new, exotic flavor that he exported it back to the Old World where it became the exclusive drink of the aristocrats and royalty of Europe, partly because of its rarity and the huge expense involved in shipping. It remained popular and exclusive for the next 300 years.
Mexico retained the monopoly on the vanilla cultivation almost through the 19th century. Plants were transported to different tropical zones throughout the world with no success. The attempts to cultivate it in other regions failed because it was not known that the fertilization relied on a single species of bee (Melipoma) found only in Mexico. Vanilla, a species of a climbing orchid, grew a beautiful foliage and flowers in each of these regions but it never produced any vanilla pods Once this was discovered to be the reason that plants grew in different areas but would not produce flowers, the pollination began to be performed manually. Today, even in Mexico, every single flower of the vanilla plants is fertilized carefully by hand. The vanilla-beans mature after nine to ten months, when they are juicy-green, and are then harvested individually by hand. In an elaborate process which includes drying several weeks in the sun and then sorting into different grades, the beans develop the unique aroma which today distinguishes the Mexican vanilla bean.
Unfortunately this crop has lost its importance for Mexico. This happened for various reasons. After a huge increase in price which made it a profitable crop, the bottom fell out of the world market and farmers were forced to plant different crops. Then Madagascar, the world’s leading vanilla producing country, bounced back after several weather-related catastrophes earlier this decade diminished its production. The island usually produces 60 percent of the world’s vanilla.
High vanilla prices also forced some food processors to start using cheap artificial vanilla. Vanilla is labor intensive since the harvest and drying processes are all done manually. Other developing countries (India and Uganda primarily) have a less expensive labor force than Mexico.
Today Mexico only produces about 1% of the world crop and most of Mexico’s vanilla production goes to the United States, France and Germany. After the advent of the oil industry in Mexico farmers turned their fields into pastures for raising cattle and planted orange groves instead of vanilla.
So, what was once a 100% Mexican product has been lost to it’s country of origin.
If you enjoy the flavor of vanilla then you might want to try the following yummy flan recipe!
Vanilla Flan
Try this elegant dessert with its silky texture, deep vanilla
flavor and an amber-colored caramel sauce, you won't be
disappointed.
Prep: 30 min Ready In: 3 hrs, 30 min
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk
1 can (14 oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
PREHEAT oven to 325°F.
HEAT sugar in small, heavy-duty saucepan over medium-low heat,
stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes or until dissolved and
caramel colored. Quickly pour onto bottom of deep-dish 9-inch
pie plate; swirl around bottom and sides to coat.
COMBINE evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk, eggs and
vanilla extract in medium bowl. Pour into prepared pie plate.
Place pie plate in large roasting pan; fill roasting pan with
warm water to about 1-inch depth.
BAKE for 45 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center
comes out clean. Remove flan from water. Cool on wire rack.
Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
TO SERVE: run small spatula around edge of pie plate. Invert
serving plate over pie plate. Turn over; shake gently to
release. Caramelized sugar forms sauce.
