Product descriptions
Vanilla is a special type of orchid, the fruit is used as a spice.
It is a creeper plant native to Mexico and Central America, but it is also cultivated in other tropical climates such as the Pacific Islands, the Bourbon Islands and Brazil. Most of the world's vanilla is grown on the island of Madagascar.
Vanilla pods. If the dish requires only a mild flavouring, it can be boiled whole and reused. For more intense flavouring (e.g. puddings, creams), the stick should be cut in half lengthways, the tiny seeds inside scraped out, and both the shell and the seeds added to the dish (it is a good idea to remove the shell at the end of cooking).
Vanilla extract: To prepare it, the vanilla pods are boiled in an alcoholic liquid. It is best added at the very end of cooking, otherwise it tends to evaporate. The flavour of the dish is very similar to that of vanilla extract, but the slight alcoholic taste of the solvent is still noticeable in some dishes.
Vanilla sugar: the simplest way to make vanilla extract is to leave vanilla pods, or spent shells, in the sugar for a long time. The taste is less complex than that of extract or bars. 1 sachet (9 g) of vanilla sugar can be replaced by about 1-2 teaspoons of extract or 2-4 cm of vanilla pods.
Uses. Cooked with the food, it is a completely harmless spice and can be used by people with stomach, bile and kidney problems.