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One of the most exquisite of all the sweet spices, vanilla has a mellow,
fragrant, sweet taste. These tender scented beans come from an orchid, a genus
of climbing plants native to the tropics. The long pod-like capsules
are picked unripe and have a lengthy curing process. Vanilla is one of the
three most expensive spices in the world.
To use, cut the bean in half lengthwise. Using your knife, scrape the seeds from the inside of the bean. Add the seeds to 2 cups scalded cream or milk, and let steep for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Use the flavored cream/milk in your favorite dessert recipe. Don't discard the used bean shell. Make vanilla sugar by storing it in a canister of sugar. The longer the sugar is stored
the more intense the vanilla flavor.
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