Vanilla beans are seed pods of the orchid planifolia and are categorized according to the region from which they are cultivated like Mexican, Tahitian, and Indonesian. The Madagascar vanilla is called Bourbon vanilla because the island of Madagascar was previously called Bourbon Island.

It takes about a year to cultivate and grow vanilla beans and requires extensive human labor in terms of hand pollinating each vanilla vine to produce flowers that bear the vanilla bean pods after a few hours blooming which remains in the vine for nine months. Ripened vanilla beans are still green in color and still odorless.

It is after harvesting that the vanilla beans are cured and processed. The curing processes of vanilla beans also vary from country to country and should be done 7 days after the beans are harvested, but generally, the process involves the exposure of the vanilla bean pods to extreme heat. Ways of heat exposure could be in the form of submerging the beans in boiling water, exposure to sunlight, or placing the beans over fire with the use of mats. The heating process is intended to stop the ripening of the bean pods.

The beans are exposed to heat everyday during the day and are alternately brought into shade at night and covered to allow the beans to sweat for 48 to 72 hours; exceeding this time frame will cause the beans to rot. This process is done for several weeks. With the repeated curing process, the vanilla beans will eventually dry and start to develop natural vanillin. Vanillin is the natural extract of vanilla beans that gives vanilla its unique and enticing flavor and aroma. With proper curing, the vanilla beans turn into dark brown and begin to show wrinkles.

After the curing process, the beans are slowly dried. By this time, they now have heavy longitudinal wrinkles and become sinuous with a leathery feel. The dried beans are then classified according to length and are bundled, tied and conditioned by pacing them inside the metal or wooden boxes that are lined with wax papers for 60 days. After two months, the bundled vanilla bean pods are then wrapped in wax papers and sealed in containers that do not allow air circulation and made ready for market distribution.

The overall curing process of the vanilla has to be done with utmost care because the condensed moisture of the bean pods is ideal for bacterial and fungal growth that can damage the product. Constant checking of the been pods is recommended to monitor and detect infestation and infection.

Vanilla has come a long way from being just a mere orchid into a flexible ingredient and component of different foods and products. One can enjoy its endless benefits from food, aromatics, perfumes and many other applications that one can use out of a simple vanilla bean. One cannot fathom the proven effectiveness of vanilla especially when it comes to cooking. An example of a vanilla masterpiece is a vanilla cake. There are lots of vanilla cake recipe that one can use as a guide to bake this delicious and versatile cake.

One of the factors that makes vanilla so special is its unique scent. There is something about the scent that entices people to smell it. It is perfect for baked goodies like cookies, cakes and pies. It also blends well with coffee and milk. One can never go wrong with vanilla.

As we try and try each vanilla recipes, a must try is the vanilla cake recipe. It sounds like a simple and unique cake, it is a very versatile cake. You can experiment with it, add any topping you like. You can simply top it with powdered sugar, put icing, fruits on top. You can do anything you like with the vanilla cake.

One can make his or her own vanilla cake recipe and enjoy it in any way they like. It can be served with coffee, tea, fruit juices or sodas. It is an all around cake, one can have his or her own way in making and savoring the delicious vanilla cake. It is simple yet sinful.

You can start making your own vanilla cake by grabbing a simple vanilla cake recipe, either from the book, internet, magazines or even come up with your own version of this appetizing and mouth watering cake. Vanilla Cake is one of the simplest cakes that one must try, you will never know what you are missing not until you try the heavenly vanilla cake. Take a bite of this cake now and be amazed with the bursting flavors it creates in your palette. Indulge in the unique flavors of vanilla through a slice of this one of a kind cake.

We all know that vanilla is used mainly for culinary purposes - as the main ingredient vanilla recipes and the all-time favorite vanilla ice cream as well as to add flavor and aroma to most tasty treats like cakes, pastries, and other beverages. Because of its sweet smelling aroma, vanilla is also widely used as in perfumery. But did you know that vanilla has a welcoming and intoxicating effect to our body’s Central Nervous System?

After curing, the vanilla beans produce an essential oil known as vanillin. The vanillin oil is responsible for the distinct aroma of vanilla that’s sensual and calming and gives vanilla a taste that’s exotic; probably the reason why the Aztec Indians used vanilla as an aphrodisiac and even up to now, it is still patronized as one. Scientific studies show that vanilla has a striking effect to our body’s Central Nervous System by arousing one’s libido. The lusting effect of vanilla to one’s libido is brought about by the production of sexual hormones – estrogen for females and testosterone for males – as stimulated by the brain. Vanilla recipes, like the vanilla smoothie is one good sample of the use of vanilla as an aphrodisiac.

Notice how vanilla is widely used in aromatherapy nowadays? This is because of the fact that vanillin, the essential oil of cured vanilla beans, gives our strained nerves a relaxing and calming effect. At times when you feel angry, anxious or restless, aromatherapy using vanilla essence is a good way to relax your nerves.

Do you ever wonder why it’s nice to eat ice cream, especially vanilla flavored ice cream during times when your feel depressed? Yes, it can be attributed to the sweet and flavorful taste of the vanilla ice cream that for a moment you tend to forget what upsets you. But actually, you owe that good feeling not to the ice cream perse’, but to vanilla. This is because vanilla has an anti-depressant property. It creates a sense of euphoria, making you feel better.

Because of its relaxing and calming effects to the body, vanilla is also used as a mild tranquilizer or sedative. Again, this is because of the vanillin’s effect to our central nervous system, particularly to the brain. So at times when you find it hard to sleep or feel anxious, try applying vanilla scented lotion all over your body or light up a candle that’s scented with vanilla and feel it’s soothing effect.

Now you know that vanilla is not solely intended as spice for vanilla recipes and other cuisine, but also a very good anti-depressant, aphrodisiac and relaxant. Because of the wondrous benefits that it offers, vanilla is indeed one of nature’s valuable gifts.

Vanilla is an edible fruit of the Vanilla Planifolia, an orchid family of the tropics, mostly grown in Madagascar, Tahiti and Mexico. Bourbon vanilla, the one coming from Madagascar and the Tahitian vanilla are the two most commercially used vanillas. Vanilla was originally cultivated by the Totonaca people in Mexico, with which they considered as a precious gift from their gods.

Vanilla is considered world’s second most expensive spice because it is the world’s most labor-intensive agricultural product. The cultivation of the vanilla vines takes 3 years before it can flourish. Vanillas are also hand pollinated in order to grow. They would thrive best in places where the consistency of the soil is loose and high in organic content. The fruits of the vanilla are known as the vanilla beans. These vanilla beans have to stay on the vines for nine months in order for it to completely mature and develop. While on this form, vanilla has neither fragrance nor flavor even until they are harvested. The unique fragrance and flavor of vanilla are only developed once they are processed and cured.

After they are harvested, the vanilla beans are brewed in hot water. After which, the brewed vanilla beans are shrunken to almost 20% of their original size by exposing them under direct sunlight for several weeks to months. This is now the time that the vanilla’s flavor and fragrance develop. Once dried, the vanilla pods are then sorted out according to sizes.

Madagascar is considered to be a poor country despite of the richness of its land and major wildlife. Because of its poor economic state, one very common problem that most vanilla farmers face is the rustling of their vanilla products. And with that, all cultivators have branded their beans while in the vines. The markings stay on the pods even when they’re dried. Because of their distinctive markings, the growers can easily determine if their beans are stolen.

The Madagascar vanilla or the Bourbon vanilla is considered to be the most expensive and the finest vanilla in the world. When you buy vanilla, as much as possible, choose only the one that came from Madagascar.

Vanilla is also expensive because of the fact that it has a lot of use. Other than being famous for culinary purposes and fragrances in perfumes and lotions, vanilla is also used as flavor for medicines. It’s also used to mask or lessen the smell or industrial tires.