230 



PLANTS AND MAN 



aroma of allspice is sometimes extracted for use in perfumes and 

 soaps. 



Flavorings 



Vanilla is undoubtedly the most popular of flavoring extracts 

 in use today, as well as having the most interesting origin of the 

 group. True vanilla is produced by a climbing orchid native to 

 the hot, moist forests of Mexico and Central America. The 

 greenish yellow flowers of the Vanilla plant, after special hand 



pollination, give rise to long 

 thin podlike fruits known as 

 vanilla beans because of their 

 external resemblance to bean 

 pods (fig. 165). The crystalline 

 flavoring substance, vanillin, 

 is not present in the unripe 

 fruits as they are gathered 

 from the plant, but develops 

 by enzyme action during a 

 curing or sweating process 

 after picking. During this 

 time the yellow pods turn to 

 a dark brown color, and tiny 

 crystals of vanillin may appear 

 at the surface. The final step 

 in the preparation of vanilla is 

 extraction of the crushed 

 "vanilla beans" with alcohol, 

 which dissolves out the vanil- 

 lin, and is itself marketed as 

 vanilla extract, or simply va- 

 nilla. As already mentioned, vanilla is the most universally used 

 of the household flavorings, being commonly used in cakes, 

 puddings, ice creams, candies, and beverages. In addition to 

 being produced in its native home, vanilla culture has spread to 

 the tropical Islands off the coast of South America and Africa, 

 and in the South Seas. Much synthetic vanilla is manufactured 

 from one of the constituents of clove oil. 



Fig. 165. — Vanilla "beans" are 

 long thin pod-like fruits produced by 

 a climbing orchid of the American 

 tropics. 



