Oh hi there! I'm back. I have a back log of photos I'm going to work though so I can post my ((OMG!) much) more recent photos.
It's somewhat odd that, in common English, something being "vanilla" is synonymous with it being plain, default and by inference boring. Because actually, while somewhat subtle I'm sure that most people, after giving it a bit of a think and perhaps refreshing their memory on what actual foods (usually sweets!) with actual vanilla in them taste like, will admit it's actually pretty great.
Pretty exotic too, really. I mean it's from orchids. But then, like many an exotic thing from far off lands that's inexorably made itself a part of everyday western culinary activities (I'm looking at you, tea)... it's erm inexorably made itself....yeah.
And for quite some time too! They say a certain famous conquistador (you know, Cortés, who is probably who you automatically think of when people say "conquistador", unless you've seen this guy in action) brought it back to mainland Europe as one of the many spoils lifted from the Mesoamerican peoples.
But WHAT'S SO FRENCH ABOUT IT? you ask, impatiently. Oh, easy, mostly eggs.
Yeah, it's not about where the vanilla pods are grown or anything (because apparently there are variety of vanillas in that respect) - nope, it's purely that it's all about having a caramelised taste, and a firm egg yolk base when made into pots of custard (as pictured) or then into ice-cream.
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