European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 17, 1967, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Page 16 the stars and stripes Tut Day october 17, 1967 by Charles Graham staff writer i g ii editors note Here is the fourth install ment in a seven part series on the history of spices. Next week Marco Polo s Pepper Worth its weight in Gold. From the completely odourless and flavor less fruit of a delicate mexican Orchid which gets its nourishment More from the air than the Earth come the most fragrant and exotic spice of All Vanilla. Known in Mexico since pre colombian times the Vanilla bean which comes in a pod like string Beans was used by the aztecs to make a flavor ing called  in this sophisticated latin american civilization Thil Xochitl Flavoured the National drink Loco late which was made from the powdered bean of the Cocoa  process of transforming the Bland Green coloured Vanilla bean into the richly flavorful Dee chocolate coloured vegetable from which Vanilla extract comes is Long and , the Ripe Beans Are put through almost six months of Man induced fermentation by alternately Sun heating and covering the Beans with Woolen  Sun and Blanket Cycle is repeated daily while the Beans gradually change from Green tothe familiar dark Brown color. As they change color the chemically Busy bean stake on the Well known flavor which has made them a food favorite since they were first introduced to Europe in 1560 by the Spanish adventurer Hernando  was in the Palace of Montezuma the Aztec ruler who first received Cortez and his band of explorers As friends that the spaniards first tasted oco late Flavoured with Thil Xochitl. The visitors were so intrigued with the drink that Montezuma gave them the full Story of its production and the Vanilla bean fermentation process. In Europe the introduction of Vanilla was smashing Success. All who could afford it clamoured to buy some for their pantry shelves. But the word Thil Xochitl which is Aztec for Black pod proved to be a bit much for the Continentals an the name was changed to Vanilla which is Spanish for Little  Montezuma s decision to spill the Beans was Brilliant stroke for the Vanilla Vine with its Lovely Orchid blossoms would grow nowhere else but it Homeland of Mexico. Consequently the sunny latin american country enjoyed a monopoly in the lucrative Vanilla Trade for three centuries despite Many determined at tempts by England France Srain and Portugal to grow the patriotic Plant in their own tropical and sub tropical colonies. This botanical Baffler was finally solved by Charles Morren a French scientist in 1835. He discovered the Vanilla Vine was not being pollinated on foreign soil because the Only insect which could do the Job was a tiny Bee called Melitona which Only flew in Mexico. Morren immediately applied artificial pollination and his efforts proved successful scoring a break through for science and a breakdown for the latin american country s monopoly of the coveted Vanilla bean Trade