It’s unfathomable how a small part of a flowering plant can magically transform the ordinary into the extraordinary with one complex taste. If ever vanilla bean were a book, the chapters entitled “clean,” “sweet,” “floral,” and “perfumy” would boldly open the novel, and “woody,” “smoky,” and “delicate” would wrap up the enchanting story. It would be a classic “Best Seller”, at the top of the New York Times’ list and it would fashion every bookshelf of families throughout the world; undoubtedly, a captivating story.

Vanilla bean is by far my favorite flavor of ice cream, yogurt, pudding, custard, and anything in between…….. nothing against chocolate or anything. Just seeing the flecks of fresh vanilla bean in whatever I’m eating is enough to get my food-nerdy self all jittery inside. I taste a little bit of a Tahitian sunset whenever that intense vanilla aroma hits my mouth, a touch of paradise.

Yes, vanilla bean is a less expensive way to taste the tropics than actually boarding a plane and flying to Bora Bora, but, aside from saffron, it is one of the most expensive spices. The reason? Vanilla beans are the seed pods of the vanilla orchid, which appropriately grows in tropical climates. The pods are picked when they are green and still immature, but then they endure a long curing process, whereby they obtain their distinct, dark-brown, almost black color. As with any other high-labor-cost food, vanilla bean must be priced accordingly, and this elaborate, time-consuming process only elevates the cost of the precious spice. Vanilla extract, a less expensive relative of it’s mother flavoring, is obtained by soaking the cured vanilla pods in alcohol, resulting in a product that is at least 35% alcohol.

As I mentioned before, vanilla bean is delicious in creamy desserts and baked goods, but it also adds a wonderful essence to savory dishes. When cooking with vanilla beans, in order to extract the luxurious, candy-like caviar from the interior of the pods, you must run a sharp knife along the bean to split it open. Then with the back of your knife, you need to gently scrape out the seeds and reserve them for your culinary project. Since the whole beans are pricey, it would be extremely wasteful to dispose of the now-vacant pods, as they contain just as much flavor as the seeds themselves. Save the empty pods and place them in your sugar jar to lightly flavor your sugar with fresh scents of vanilla.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy the true flavor of vanilla is in poached pears. When submerged in the sugary liquid, the pears are like sponges and absorb all its surrounding flavors. Pears poached in vanilla simple syrup, sliced and fanned over a bed of mixed greens with bleu cheese, toasted pecans and dried cranberries warmly welcomes the autumn season, which happens to be right around the corner. Enjoy my recipe for this fall-friendly salad!

Mixed Field Greens with Vanilla Poached Pears, Dried Cranberries, and Nuts

INGREDIENTS