Vanilla

1. INGREDIENT OF THE WEEK # 18
VANILLA
VANILLA IS THE ONLY FRUIT-BEARING MEMBER
OF THE ORCHID FAMILY AND IS NATIVE TO
CENTRAL MEXICO. THE ANCIENT TOTEMIC
INDIANS OF MEXICO WERE THE FIRST TO LEARN
TO USE THE FRUIT OF THE TLILXOCHITL VINE,
VANILLA PODS. MADAGASCAR, THE WORLD'S
LARGEST PRODUCER OF VANILLA BEANS.
VANILLIN CONTAINS STRONG ANTIOXIDANT
AND ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIES, AND EVEN
CANCER OR TUMOR FIGHTING ABILITIES.
THE CHIEF CHEMICAL COMPONENT IN THE
BEANS IS VANILLIN. THE VANILLA PODS
COMPOSE OF NUMEROUS TRACES OF OTHER
CONSTITUENTS SUCH AS EUGENIC, CAPROIC
ACID, PHENOLS, PHENOL ETHER, ALCOHOLS,
CARBONYL COMPOUNDS, ACIDS, ESTER,
LACTONES, ALIPHATIC AND AROMATIC
CARBOHYDRATES.
(CHEF DHEERAJ SINGH)