Although much of the vanilla used for flavoring and fragrance today is produced synthetically, natural vanilla comes from the seed pod of an orchid plant. Vanilla planifolia is a vigorous, vining ...

Today, the word vanilla conjures images of blandness: plain vanilla ice cream, or maybe an especially uninteresting acquaintance. The origin of vanilla, though, is quite the opposite. The flavor first ...

Scientists have ascertained the pedigree of Tahitian vanilla, the orchid whose rarity and rich, sweet flavor distinguishes it from the widely used commercial vanilla. The discovery of the plant’s ...

Vanilla species exhibit remarkable genetic and phenotypic diversity that is increasingly recognised as fundamental to both sustainable crop production and the conservation of natural habitats. While ...

Discover when it's appropriate to use imitation vanilla in your recipes. Learn about the differences between real and imitation vanilla, including flavor and cost, to make the best choice for your ...

WASHINGTON — The Totonaca Indians in ancient Mexico were enchanted by its scent. Spanish colonists in Mexico during the 1500s fell in love with its sweet, soothing flavor after tasting it in cacao, a ...

How did the inconspicuous tropical orchid Vanilla planifolia, unable to reproduce without the help of a tiny coevolved insect found only within their shared Mesoamerican ecological niche, achieve ...

This past holiday season, with all the baking and beverages, my household went through a lot of vanilla extract! And when I went hunting for a vanilla bean, I was shocked by the cost. It got me ...