05/31/2002

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Chow Line: 'Real' vanilla comes from orchids (for 6/9/02)

Writer:

Martha Filipic
filipic.3@osu.edu
(614)292-9833

Source:

Jaime Ackerman

Sharron Coplin

I always buy the artificial vanilla flavoring, but my sister insists that real vanilla is the only thing you should use. Is there really that much difference?

Gourmet chefs might disagree, but there's really no "right" answer to this question. Different people's tastes are, well, different. What's an exorbitant difference in flavor to one person might be a mild difference -- or no difference at all -- to another.

If you're curious, you might want to try some real vanilla extract the next time you use vanilla, and decide for yourself. Then you can ask, is real vanilla worth the extra expense?

Real vanilla extract is much more expensive than imitation flavoring. That's because vanilla beans are the fruit of a specific type of orchid, Vanilla planifolia, a vine grown in Madagascar, Mexico, Indonesia and a few other tropical regions of the world. Another type, Vanilla tahitensis, is grown in Tahiti, but it makes up only about 1 percent of the "real" vanilla used commercially. The flowers are hand-pollinated, and the beans are hand-harvested, contributing to the steep price for real vanilla.

Vanilla beans -- really, pods that are seven to nine inches long -- are picked before they're ripe. Then they're soaked and "sweated" in the sun before being dried. The process takes months, but it's how vanillin, which gives vanilla its flavor, separates from glucose molecules. Once separated from glucose, the vanillin can be extracted -- giving you vanilla extract.

Imitation vanilla flavoring also contains vanillin, but not from the orchid. Vanillin can be chemically synthesized from the essential oil of cloves. It's also made from the lignin, a byproduct in paper manufacturing.

According to http://www.vanilla.com, pure vanilla has more than 250 organic components, giving it an incredibly complex flavor and aroma. Imitation vanilla doesn't have all of these components. And, you'll get different qualities of "real" vanilla depending on the climate and soil condition where the plant is grown. So, if you want to become a true vanilla connoisseur, you might want to try several brands before settling on a favorite.

Chow Line is a service of The Ohio State University. Send questions to Chow Line, c/o Martha Filipic, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1044, or filipic.3@osu.edu.

Editor: This column was reviewed by Sharron Coplin, registered dietitian and Ohio State University Extension nutrition associate in the College of Human Ecology.