Show 9 Christene A Helpingstine 10 In our churches 14 IllillllliMli fr&fofciMrtS£ irifelll “4 it 4 1 w v H a a '7 a Vanilla: ByAISichurman Mnneapoto-S- t Paul StarTrttxme 1 1 To many folks vanilla is nothing more Hum the ' absence of some other flavor Bis uliat yon have left when you take away the ftntti from Ihe Ttoti-Rutor me pineapple mandarin pecan and fudge from foe Pineapple Mandarin Pecan Fudge Swid Tntti or maybe Nothing SwhL To others vanilla is a wonderful smooth complex flavor whose every meeting with foe tongue is a symphony of stibtie pleasures Them are quite a few fbDa in (he second groqt Enough in fret to make it die most popular flavor of ice cream in die country ' While folks in (he first group probably assume that vanilla is so common that it grows on trees vanilla-lovin- g souls will not be surprised to learn diat the vanilla bean is die product of an orchid Vanilla planifolia native from southern Mexico to Bolivia And it’s no ordinary orchid either Its flowers last only one day and each contains both stigma and anther Since each flower contains both male and female portions nature alao provided a partition to keep a flower from pollinating itsdfl as well as a tiny insect — die melipona bee — to do the pollinating The Aztecs used vanilla to flavor thexr chocolate and the Spaniards who brought chocolate to Europe eventually brought vanilla too France tried to grow vanilla on the Be de Bourbon (an bland off eastern Africa later renamed Reunion) Those vanilla plants flourished but produced no pods: There were iio melipona bees there found to do die eventually trick and the He de Bourbon and nearby islands became a major source of vanilla One of them Madagascar is now die world’s largest producer of vanilla & - Hand-pollinati- vu on 1 i A symphony of subtle pleasures Ofcourse as with every commodity of tins sort there are good and noteo-goo- d vanilla beansThe best are covered with while crystals of vanillin the i cwnpnnnd til vnltla that its flavobThis coating fe called gnm foe French ' word for “frost" In countries where vanilla beans are sold on die streets some unscrupulous vanilla sellers reportedly coat inferior beans with crystals of benzoic arid to simulate givre Once one has a vanilla bean how does one get vanilU flavor from it? Some recipes can for cooking or steeping the bean in a liquid (usually slitting it open lengthwise to expose the interior which Is full of tiny seeds) A bean used in this way can be washed dried stored in ajar in the refrigerator and reused several times One alternative is to slit a vanilla bean and put it in a dosed jar of sugar In a fcw weeks the vanilla wffl have flavored the sugar which can be replaced several times before the bean wean out The flavored sugar is then used in recipes You may have noticed that this isn’t exactly an exact science How much vanilla flavor goes into how much sugar after how long? For tint and other reasons such as convenience most Americans Bke tobuy their vanilla as a liquid which can be measured (Another reason is that vanilla beans are surprisingly expensive ---a jar of two beans from Schilling costs more than $330 at one supermarket and one bean in a jar from Spice Islands costs the same And none of those beans had any gjvre) Genuine vanilla in liquid form is known as vanilla extract It is vanilla beans chopped mixed with alcohol and water and maybe sugar and filtered It is expensive too ($175 toll90 for a bottle — flux's 6 teaspoons a bottle is in the $3 range) The price has produced a reft of various artificial vanilla flavorsThemidnced ones (about $130 It's more for 2 oudees) are sometimes called “premium care for this either Its made from guaiacoi a imitation' or words to flat effect HeroalHtartierividiveaccording toC&tI6ea Vanillas a Chicago Schilling's version Premium Quality Imititioir- - ’president of Nidsen-MassmAVrft that M far M he' Vanilla (Extract contains according to the label mrtrdrt trmnrfxttirw “water alcohol extractives of cocoa extractives of (wnwfnrf prtrfirial vanillin nor etfiyl lea and other natural flavorings vanillin and other vanillin “is too exciting USP vanillin doesn't taste artificial flavorings and caramel color" like vanilla And ethyl vanillin isn't even the same Wait a minxito Vanillin is an artificial flavor? compound" Wasn't vanillin just mentioned as the source of the It is however an even stronger flavor than seldom on vanQIa seen) givre highly prized (tat artificial vanillin which explains its presence in die bans? Yes it was least expensive flavorings According to Marshall Neale director of the Like people in die vanilla business cookbooks VniTl Tnfnmrfinn Bhhmh- - TKw vmiKin wi lrmilla almost universally decry substituting anything for beans and in givre is natural vsnillin Artificial vanilla beans or vamBa extract vanillin also called USP (UA pharmacopeia) So it's obvious what kind of liquid with “Yanill” vanillin is a byproduct of die wood-pulindustry in the name you win like best right? Not A V V qr i "t 'A ’ p (Incidentally insiders pronounce the word VANuhlin) The largest producers of artificial vanillin are paper companies he said Chemically vanillin is vanillin Neatest But dihough vanillin is the pintipal flavor ingredient of vanilla there axe hundreds of other compounds in vanilla some in very small quantities So no vanillin does not taste like real vanilla In foot Nede said vanillin is a stronger flavor manufacturers want to make an So when cream ice he said they use attifirid jnexpenrive vanillin for two reasons: To save money and because the stronger flavor of vanillin is better able to mask the flavors of Ihe other inexpensive ingredients they use There ire hnitstinn vanillas less expensive than die ones we have thus far discussed One such is Durkee Imitation Vanilla Flavoring ($141 for 6 ounces) which contains water propylene glycol vanillin caramel color ethyl vanillin and sodium benzoate (a preservative) So what’s ethyl vanillin? If yon didn’t like the sound of vanillin from wood pu you won’t much ice-crea- m necessarily Some years I confronted this same question and did m unscientific taste test with a number of office colleagues and arecipe that had no flavoring ao but vanQIa I made two batches — one with vanilla extract and one with inexpensive artificid vanilla flavoring Mort folks including me favored the artificial flavoring which was less intense but seemed to have a moodier tone There was an alcohol bile to the vanilla extract I reproduced that test a few weeks ago this time with three choices: vanilla extract and both premium and inexpensive artificid vanilla flavors The paofcl was even less scientific than the first — four folks at the dinner table — but the results were similar Nobody preferred the vanilla extract Three of four favored toe cheapest substitute J u This is not to say that any of these folks were ‘‘right’’ or that you or your loved ones would prefer artificial vanilla to vanilla extract but considering how much more vanilla extract costs you might like to tiy such an experiment yourself than just a dessert flavoring Most people flunk of dfffwti when vanilla is about one teaspoon of the shrimp mixture in the center of mentioned but it has an affinity for seafood too A litde a won ton wrapper Brush the egg wash around all four vanilla added to a crab or °bftrr — tH was a big hit edges of foe won ton wrapper- titen fold in halt pressing well all around to seaL (The resulting ravioli are among nouvdle cooks a few years ago In the cookbook from which it tins recipe rectangular If you want to make square ravioli each with Contained no vanilla The crwnhtnafinn rf phrirap mm I nrn Put the ravioli on a lightly floured pan and cover until ia unusual enough that die addition of vanilla to die to use Bring a large ketde of salted water to a boiL mixture and to ready the mnch butter is not a shrimp Meanwhile prepare the sauce: Bring the shallots bigger step mto die unknown and the result is delicious Boil pepper and wine to a bail in a die liquid is reduced to a few tablespoons Remove from with Gom and Ravioli Vauilln Shallot Butler Shrimp heat Whisk fat 1 chunk of the hotter When it is Ravioli: 1 fully incorporated whisk in another chunk continuing package frozen corn until an die butter is added If die process gets slow return vi pound raw shrimp didld nut die sauce for a few seconds to low beat Do not heat long 1 cup cream heavy salt and pepper enough to melt die butter the sauce should remain while and creamy Stir in the vanilla Set 1 teaspoon vanilla tirri 1 egg phis 1 occasionally Rewann only if necessary n4 oclv for a few teaspoon water seconds at a time over low heat stirring constantly 30 won ton wrappers Cook the ravioli (in batches) in die twiting water about Sauce: 4 minute Keep He cooked ravioli warm in hot water 2 shallots When all are ready drain well and serve spooning die 31 teaspoon pepper sauce around the ravioli Serves 6 to 8 1 cupdry while wine 2 sticks unsaltnd butler cut into 1 --tahlcprmn riiimlrt Here is another fiii dirii wmb even 1 more so with a touch of vanilla This recipe is adapted teaspoon vanilla Prepare the ravioli Prepare the com according to from one in the Dmsh Share American Kitchen package directions Drain welL Puree the com shrimp cream salt pepper and vanilla together in die food Fish Baked withCashews and Mango Sauce Sauce: processor Beat the egg and water together in a mii d' jh Place llaige ripe mango (skin showing some red and yellow - i"rt (10-ounc- already-interesti- ng and flesh yielding to pressure) 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 1 cup chicken broth (most of a 10 A ounce can) 1 tablespoon lime juice -- 1 teaspoon vsnilla Fish: 14 pound roasted cashews 36 cup dry bread crumbs filets of white fish (cod orange roughy 4 shark etc) Salt and pepper to taste 3 to 4 tablespoons cal Prepare the sauce: Feel the mango cut away die flesh from die pit and chop coarsely In a saucepan combine die mango ginger and chicken broth Bring to a boil reduce until the liquid is heat and ammer about 20 reduced by about half Puree in a or food processor until very smooth Add lime juice and vanilla Keep warm Preheat the oven to 373 Grind the cariiews in food processor or chop them fine Combine cadiews and bread crumbs in a shallow bowl or plate Season the fillets with salt and pepper then press them fam die crumb mixture until they are completely coated Heat die oil in a frying pan over medium heat Cook the filets until they are lightly browned on one aide If the frying pan is oven-saf- e turn die fillets over and put die pan in the oven If not turn tiie fillets over put them on a lightly oiled baking sheet and put it in the oven Bake 5 minutes or more (depending on foe thickness of foe filets) until the fish is finn and flakes when pierced with a fork Serve filets surrounded with sauce: Serves 4 (6-oun- inr 3 a: Am |