European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 6, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Plain old Vanilla in t All that Plain anymore by Jeannett Ferrary new York times inner included salad with Vanilla Vina Grolle Vanilla glazed Bee kebabs and Vanilla Cream sell Jer. For professional reasons. The diners dutifully consumed eight Vanilla custards or Al Tea is took a Houg Natul Laslo. Each was made with a Diller enl Vanilla extract or bean organizers of this unusual Vanilla dinner a gathering of he san Francisco promos signal food society had hoped to decide which Vanilla was Host. By evening s end they had a consensus of sorts everything was delicious even the kebabs. Bui of per s have Slang opinions about what is the world s finest Vanilla and they Seldom agree. Patricia ams. The author of the Vanilla Cookbook. Celestial res 1986was onto an advocate of Vanilla irom Madagascar she now prefers the squat kantian bean or Vanilla Rah Lens a which she insists has a much Superior flavor Juan san mamos s the Prosi Donl of Vanilla Saffron imports in san Francisco which imports Vanilla from All Over Trie world. Many of our clients have recently switched to the Vanilla bean from Comoros a Small group of islands in the Indian Ocean marries said. Vanilla is also grown in the Seychelles Mexico. French polynesia Indonesia. Uganda and Tonga " most people Are unaware that lha taste of Vanilla depends upon its species where in is grown and How it is Guiod. The narrow layered Vanilla Plani Lolia. Sometimes called Irue Vanilla or Vanilla Lla Grans is the most widely grown o the More than so species. The reproductive parts of the Vanilla Plant Are separated which prevents in bom pollinating Itsell. But in 1836 he belgian botanist Charles Morren discovered a Way to pollinate the plan try hand. This meant that Vanilla could be grown in any area Wilh the requisite tropical conditions. Outside of us Kalmal halal of South America Vanilla has been known Lor Only 400 years since the Spanish first observed the aztecs Flavouring chocolate beverages with life Rochill or a found Vanilla pods. Once introduced to Europe Vanilla became prize As an aphrodisiac. Except for Saldon. In is the world s most expensive spice and is a lucrative commercial product Vanilla is a member of the Orchid family the Only one used Tot food according to Ceorge Marcopoulos the curator of orchids at the conservatory of Flowers in san Francisco Vanilla starts Oul looking like a heavy coarse Vine with roots hanging Down along the main Slem even ils Flowers have no detectable fragrance they last Only a Day or two which is when the plan must be to maled by hand. The Plant produces what looks like Long Green siring Beans that have neither flavor nor fragrance. The Beans Are sealed dried and fermented to release the Romalic vanillin and other flavor components. Inside each shiite led up crinkly Brown pod reside tiny Black dots of Vanilla. Traditional methods of producing Vanilla May soon be pass. At the Eswagen corporation in san Carlos Calif Vanilla is being reproduced without any Beans at All. Instead the flavor a produced by a sinful Vanilla cells. According loom Sahai a senior research scientist Al Eswagen the logic is that any cell has the genetic information to produce anything thai the Vanilla Plant can  Sahai said the process now conducted Only in the Laboratory should be commercially feasible in five years of so. Al present no substitute can match the taste of real Vanilla. Artificial Vanilla made from Wood pulp or Coal Lar is a poor replacement. Ii does contain vanillin but this is Only one of the almost 200 flavor components that give real Vanilla its Complex Lasle and Aroma. Travellers should beware of bargain priced Vanilla especially in Mexico where a look alike bean called the Tonka is often offered As the real thing in both extract form and As a whole bean. Not Only is it a fake it also contains coumarin a blood thinner that has not been approved As Safe by the food and drug administration in the United slates. For most Cooks real Vanilla is the Only Choice either in bean form or As extract. The latter is made by immersing chopped up Beans in alcohol and percolating the mixture. Much like Coffee. But its High alcohol Content usually 35 percent does affect the taste of the Lood it flavors. Other additives Lika Corn syrup add nothing but weight and hence Cost. Single Beans can Cost $ 1.50 la $5, bul they keep indefinitely stored in a lightly closed Container there Ata several ways to extend their usefulness if a recipe Calls Lor warm Mil sleep the Beans in the milk and Ihen dry completely after each use. Or put them in a Jar burying them in pow dead or granulated sugar for a Lew Days before using the sugar in a recipe. When the flavor seems to be fading Slit the bean Page 14 the stars and stripes Vanilla aae duds Art tote Trout to cum under to hot Sun on the if lend of Madagascar. Open and scrape Oul the seeds there Are usually enough Lor one or iwo recipes. Finally chop Iha pod Inlo Small pieces and stir it into a Lille warm Brandy to make a fitting end to your own Vanilla dinner. These recipes Are adapted frown the forthcoming season to taste Simon & schuster by Jeannette Ferrary and Louise Fismer. Double Vanilla Pound cake preparation time 15 minutes cooking time 1 hour b Niblo Spoont butter Al . Tui butter for pan 2 cup All purpose flour plus Lour for a uiting the pan 1va cups sugar Pinch Salt s Large eggs 1 Teaspoon pure Vanilla extract 1 Vanilla bean preheat oven to 325 degrees. Of Oast and flour 9-Inch saturday Frt