The boiled vanilla bean over time aromatizes the sugar with which it is in the jar
Vanilla is a perennial climbing plant with a long stem that climbs trees. The leaves are narrow, fleshy and ovate. The flower is green-yellow. Vanilla is a machina, i.e. an incompletely ripened quiver of a climbing orchid. The pod is up to 30 cm long, 6 to 8 cm wide, flattened and slightly twisted. It can also be pollinated by hand. The pod has a strong, sweet smell and taste.
It is grown in plantations, mostly in Mexico. It also thrives in warmer areas of Europe. Flowering time is during May and June.
Vanilla is an excellent spice for sweet dishes and beverages. It is most often used to flavor puddings, cakes, puffs, sweet dishes, drinks and sweet sauces. Vanilla sugar is mostly used, which today is produced from artificial sugar. The visual difference between real and artificial sugar is that the real one has black-brown dots (which are the rest of the ground pod), while the artificial vanilla sugar is completely white.
Pods with eberu while they are green and dry turn brown. In the process of judging, fermentation and intensification of the smell takes place.
Vanilla is used for its aroma in diet dishes (because patients accept the taste of vanilla) but also for its medicinal properties and to improve the bad taste of other medicinal preparations.
Vanilla is thought to have generally stimulating properties
Western folk medicine uses vanilla to treat fever, hysteria, insomnia, general body weakness, rheumatism, lower sexual potency, and fatigue.
We use vanilla essential oil for the care of dry, sensitive and tired skin and massage the whole body due to the stressful state of the body.
Mexico is the homeland of vanilla. The name comes from the Spanish word “vainillavaina” which means “Blade of the sword” (because of the resemblance to the vanilla bean). The Spanish conqueror Herman Cortes brought vanilla to Europe in 1519. The Aztec ruler Montezuma enjoyed drinking a mixture of cocoa, vanilla and honey (a drink that delighted the conquerors). The subjects of the Montezumi empire called vanilla “black flower”. Cocoa was flavored with this flower. They produced perfume and even paid taxes with vanilla. In 1819, the Dutch brought the seedlings to the island of Java, where it finally managed to grow after many years and attempts at cultivation.
Vanilla tincture (to improve appetite) – take 10 g of crushed vanilla pod and 1 dl of 70% alcohol. Leave the vanilla stick in alcohol for 8 days. Strain. Aromatize meals and drinks with this tincture.
Homemade flavored sugar for sweet dishes and drinks
Boil the vanilla pod for a short time together with the dish you want to spice it up. Remove the cooked vanilla pod and cool. Store in a container with sugar, which is then tightly closed. Over time, sugar also becomes strongly flavored and is used as a spice in sweet dishes. Vanilla should always be kept in a closed container.