BattleNymph
02-21-2007, 01:57 PM
Ok, I'm vanilla. It's my one of my favorite flavors. I love the scent. I know it's considered boring and mundane, but I love it.
So, here's more about it and some cool recipes too.
http://lifestyle.msn.com/foodandentertaining/recipes/articlecl.aspx?cp-documentid=3010856>1=9109
The Magic Bean
The most enticing surprises happen when the familiar reveals a fresh facet. Vanilla has been a baking staple so long that cooks rarely think about how it delicately teases out other flavors or adds a touch of the unexpected to an ordinary dish. A true kitchen Cinderella, vanilla's subtle allure makes it a perfect choice when we want to treat ourselves and those we love. Not only is it versatile, but it has a pedigree that adds a touch of romance to a dish.
Vanilla beans are the fruit of an orchid that originated in Mexico, where the Aztecs considered it a gift from the gods. When the beans first reached Europe in the 16th century, only royalty could afford them. Not until the late 1800s did the invention of the now-popular extract put vanilla in the hands of home cooks. Today most beans are cultivated and harvested by hand in Madagascar, though some are now grown in Tahiti, and a small crop is still produced in Mexico. Long coupled with sweets, vanilla has a magical power when added to savory dishes. Slow-cooked chicken with mushrooms takes an exotic turn. Roasted vegetables suddenly deepen their sweetness and flavor. A fish stew's broth soaks up the bean's bouquet, which enhances the subtleties of the recipe's saffron, bay leaf, and orange peel. In desserts, vanilla can boost simple to sensational. Citrus slices doused with vanilla-cardamom syrup become a lushly refreshing finish. Add vanilla and maple-syrup cream to a classic baked apple and the result is pure confection. Like love, vanilla provides the alchemy that turns good into great.
Vanilla beans make a thoughtful present. Fresh ones are pliable, dark, and moist and have a rich aroma. Tie a silk or velvet ribbon around a half-dozen beans or make vanilla oil to give to a fellow cook.
Heightening the Flavor
Vanilla draws out the underlying sweetness from milder vegetables.
Toss
cauliflower or root vegetables such as carrots and beets with vanilla oil and minced garlic and then roast. Avoid potent, robust vegetables such as broccoli and asparagus.
Simmer
poultry or scallops or other lightly flavored fish in a vanilla-infused broth. Serve with couscous or rice, or cook the grains themselves with a vanilla pod to add its scent to the dish. Throw in a handful of raisins or dried fruit for sweetness and texture a few minutes before serving.
Apportion
vanilla in 1/4-teaspoon increments, tasting frequently, unless the recipe calls for more. Because the vanilla extract is distilled, a dish can become bitter if too much is added. If more vanilla flavor is desired, start with another 1/4 teaspoon over what the recipe recommends.
Choosing and Using
Always
use pure vanilla extract, rather than synthetic varieties. Labels on the bottles will indicate if the extract is naturally made, and even relate the beans' origin. If it says "bourbon," the beans are from Madagascar; Tahitian and Mexican varieties are rarer.
Store
the extract and the beans in a cool, dark place. Do not refrigerate them. Extract will keep several years, due to its alcohol content. Before storing, wrap beans in plastic and place inside an airtight container to keep in moisture.
To split
a bean open, use a small, sharp paring knife and cut from one tip to the other. Carefully separate the two long, flat sides and scrape the seeds into the dish you're preparing. Save the pods for steeping or grinding to powder or use them to make vanilla sugar.
Find
quality extracts and beans in specialty food stores or via mail order and Web businesses such as Williams-Sonoma (williams-sonoma.com) and The Baker's Catalogue (kingarthurflour.com/shop/). Or log on to nielsenmassey.com, a commercial purveyor, to find retail outlets that carry their products.
So, here's more about it and some cool recipes too.
http://lifestyle.msn.com/foodandentertaining/recipes/articlecl.aspx?cp-documentid=3010856>1=9109
The Magic Bean
The most enticing surprises happen when the familiar reveals a fresh facet. Vanilla has been a baking staple so long that cooks rarely think about how it delicately teases out other flavors or adds a touch of the unexpected to an ordinary dish. A true kitchen Cinderella, vanilla's subtle allure makes it a perfect choice when we want to treat ourselves and those we love. Not only is it versatile, but it has a pedigree that adds a touch of romance to a dish.
Vanilla beans are the fruit of an orchid that originated in Mexico, where the Aztecs considered it a gift from the gods. When the beans first reached Europe in the 16th century, only royalty could afford them. Not until the late 1800s did the invention of the now-popular extract put vanilla in the hands of home cooks. Today most beans are cultivated and harvested by hand in Madagascar, though some are now grown in Tahiti, and a small crop is still produced in Mexico. Long coupled with sweets, vanilla has a magical power when added to savory dishes. Slow-cooked chicken with mushrooms takes an exotic turn. Roasted vegetables suddenly deepen their sweetness and flavor. A fish stew's broth soaks up the bean's bouquet, which enhances the subtleties of the recipe's saffron, bay leaf, and orange peel. In desserts, vanilla can boost simple to sensational. Citrus slices doused with vanilla-cardamom syrup become a lushly refreshing finish. Add vanilla and maple-syrup cream to a classic baked apple and the result is pure confection. Like love, vanilla provides the alchemy that turns good into great.
Vanilla beans make a thoughtful present. Fresh ones are pliable, dark, and moist and have a rich aroma. Tie a silk or velvet ribbon around a half-dozen beans or make vanilla oil to give to a fellow cook.
Heightening the Flavor
Vanilla draws out the underlying sweetness from milder vegetables.
Toss
cauliflower or root vegetables such as carrots and beets with vanilla oil and minced garlic and then roast. Avoid potent, robust vegetables such as broccoli and asparagus.
Simmer
poultry or scallops or other lightly flavored fish in a vanilla-infused broth. Serve with couscous or rice, or cook the grains themselves with a vanilla pod to add its scent to the dish. Throw in a handful of raisins or dried fruit for sweetness and texture a few minutes before serving.
Apportion
vanilla in 1/4-teaspoon increments, tasting frequently, unless the recipe calls for more. Because the vanilla extract is distilled, a dish can become bitter if too much is added. If more vanilla flavor is desired, start with another 1/4 teaspoon over what the recipe recommends.
Choosing and Using
Always
use pure vanilla extract, rather than synthetic varieties. Labels on the bottles will indicate if the extract is naturally made, and even relate the beans' origin. If it says "bourbon," the beans are from Madagascar; Tahitian and Mexican varieties are rarer.
Store
the extract and the beans in a cool, dark place. Do not refrigerate them. Extract will keep several years, due to its alcohol content. Before storing, wrap beans in plastic and place inside an airtight container to keep in moisture.
To split
a bean open, use a small, sharp paring knife and cut from one tip to the other. Carefully separate the two long, flat sides and scrape the seeds into the dish you're preparing. Save the pods for steeping or grinding to powder or use them to make vanilla sugar.
Find
quality extracts and beans in specialty food stores or via mail order and Web businesses such as Williams-Sonoma (williams-sonoma.com) and The Baker's Catalogue (kingarthurflour.com/shop/). Or log on to nielsenmassey.com, a commercial purveyor, to find retail outlets that carry their products.