Although much of the vanilla used for flavoring and fragrance today is produced synthetically, natural vanilla comes from the seed pod of an orchid plant. Vanilla planifolia is a vigorous, vining ...

Today, the word vanilla conjures images of blandness: plain vanilla ice cream, or maybe an especially uninteresting acquaintance. The origin of vanilla, though, is quite the opposite. The flavor first ...

Scientists have ascertained the pedigree of Tahitian vanilla, the orchid whose rarity and rich, sweet flavor distinguishes it from the widely used commercial vanilla. The discovery of the plant’s ...

Vanilla species exhibit remarkable genetic and phenotypic diversity that is increasingly recognised as fundamental to both sustainable crop production and the conservation of natural habitats. While ...

Vanilla may be a modern slang term for "boring" or "bland," but the best brands of vanilla ice cream are anything but. Pure vanilla flavor is actually a luxury originally derived from the pods of the ...

When it comes to cost, all vanilla beans are not created equal, and Tahitian vanilla beans are the most expensive in the world. Most people have heard of Madagascar vanilla, which isn't surprising ...

This past holiday season, with all the baking and beverages, my household went through a lot of vanilla extract! And when I went hunting for a vanilla bean, I was shocked by the cost. It got me ...

As a life-long science geek, one of my hero/favorite authors has long been Cal Tech physicist and Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman. His collection of short works, "The Pleasure of Finding Things Out ...

A staple ingredient in sweet and savory dishes, vanilla beans are prized in the culinary world for their unique versatility ...