Vanilla

Vanilla

Vanilla Vanilla planifolia is a tropical climbing orchid that produces fleshy seed pods from which vanilla is extracted. Individual flowers last only a day but the plant will bloom for several weeks. When the long seed pods are cured in the sun they produce crystals of vanillin which is extracted with alcohol and used as a very popular flavouring for foods. The Aztecs used vanilla to flavour a chocolate drink called xocoatl. [CH] {EN}