Spice Rack: Vanilla

Over the past 10 years or so I've become more and more involved in cooking and food preparation in the home. Prior to obtaining two offspring and a stay-at-home Mom, a home-cooked meal was usually a treat, if we felt like it. Now, we feel that it's more of a necessity because we want to have shared meal time with the kids. So I've been expanding my arsenal of cooking knowledge (thanks Alton!) and experimenting more. In that vein, I've been most interested in spices and the application thereof. My current interests are with Vanilla and Grains of Paradise.

Vanilla beans are the offspring of fruit-bearing orchids, which were first cultivated (or perhaps "used" is a better term) by the ancient Totonaco people of Mexico. The Totonacos were conquered by the Aztecs, and when they folded to Cortez, well, Vanilla took root in several places - notably, Madagascar, Indonesia, Tahiti and it's home, Mexico. The process of cultivating vanilla beans can take as long as six years and includes hand-pollinating the orchid - so now you know why that bottle of 3 vanilla pods will set you back $7-10 in the store.

Here's some interesting information on the uses of vanilla:

• A few drops of vanilla in a can of paint will help eliminate unpleasant odors!
• A vanilla bean under your car seat gives a fresh aroma and helps eliminate musty odors.
• A teaspoon or so of vanilla in Italian tomato sauces or Mexican chili helps cut the acidity of the tomatoes!
• The United States consumption of vanilla beans is approximately 1,200 tons per year!
• In baking, cream the vanilla with the shortening or butter portion of the ingredients. The fat encapsulates the vanilla, preventing it from volatilizing in the baking process.
• Vanilla extract is used by veteran fishermen to mask the smell of their hands so the fish won't detect them!

I'll share more interesting information as I find it...