The History of Vanilla

(nationalgeographic.com)

50 points | by vinnyglennon 1830 days ago

2 comments

  • mc32 1829 days ago
    Interesting that vanilla and cocoa cone from the americas but are primarily produced elsewhere (mostly Africa (c) and Asia (v))

    Vanilla is more subtle and less overpowering. Chocolate is “decadent”. It’s good on occasion, but too much too often and it over satiates whereas vanilla can keep on going, less filling, more aromatic, more nuanced, more delicate.

    • mav3rick 1829 days ago
      More than once I've been made fun of while ordering Vanilla ice cream. People think it's boring but I love it:)
      • FactolSarin 1829 days ago
        Crappy vanilla gives real vanilla ice cream a bad name
      • threatofrain 1829 days ago
        What's your favorite brand of vanilla ice cream?
        • h2odragon 1829 days ago
          My local Amish community has an annual fundraising auction day thing for their school. Dunno what the ice cream they make would be branded, but THAT STUFF.

          There's no substitute for real, unsanitary, dairy. There's just good reasons not to do a lot of it, like crack.

        • frosted-flakes 1829 days ago
          Not OP, but mine is Kawartha Dairy, which is great. It's a local company from Ontario, Canada, and the price isn't too bad.
        • mc32 1829 days ago
          Generally available I’d go for Straus creamery (who incidentally supply cream/base to many of the mom and pops around town).
        • mav3rick 1829 days ago
          In SF I do like Smitten ice cream :) I also tried this in Japan and loved it - https://www.nissei-com.co.jp/cremia/en/
    • autokad 1829 days ago
      and then there is coffee that is from africa but south america grows the most (I think, I know brazil is the leading grower).
      • seszett 1829 days ago
        Potato as well, comes from South America and is now mainly grown in Europe and Asia.
        • vezycash 1829 days ago
          Human beings came from Africa but most are produced in Asia
  • strainer 1829 days ago
    The final paragraphs of the article launch unexpectedly into a cursory attack on a Friends Of Earth campaign which is centered on the GMO aspect of new vanillin synthesis and the marketting of GMO products as natural. The author takes the opportunity to characterise FOEs position roughly without mentioning GMOs at all, introducing it as "downright dumb".

    Friends of the Earth are quite fanatical about actual natural food and conditions, whether that be a good or bad approach in these times. National geographic under ownership of the Murdochs seems free to pick and omit information for its advertisers fanaticisms.

    • scott_s 1829 days ago
      The author doesn't mention GMOs because they don't matter. The end product is the same.
      • strainer 1829 days ago
        That is a valid argument, but FOE campaining doesnt just mention GM - it centers itself on it. Omitting that is CLEARLY not valid reporting of their campaign, its partial gossip.