5 interesting facts about Vanilla

1. Vanilla is native to Mexico. However it is grown throughout the tropics with Indonesia and Madagascar being the world’s largest producers.

2. Vanilla is the second-most expensive spice (after Saffron). This is primarily because of the intensive labor required to grow and extract it.

3. The characteristic aroma and flavor of Vanilla is due to the presence of the chemical compound Vanilin.

4. Mexico enjoyed a 300-year monopoly on the production of Vanilla as natural pollination could only occur due to the presence of the Mountain Bee of the melipona genus. A simple hand-pollination method was only discovered in 1841.

5. Vanilla is regarded as the world’s most popular aroma and flavor. It is widely used to complement and enhance the flavor of other substances such as chocolate, custard, caramel, coffee and even liquors!