Vanilla: The Cultural History of the World's Favorite Flavor and Fragrance
by Patricia Rain
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Book Summary Information
Author: Patricia RainEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-11-04
ISBN: 1585423637
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Tarcher
Book Reviews of Vanilla: The Cultural History of the World's Favorite Flavor and Fragrance
Book Review: A Vanilla Read
Summary: 3 Stars
Vanilla is the only member of the orchid family, a family consisting of 90,000+ types, that has any edible properties. Vanilla is also used as an aphrodesiac to entice the opposite sex in the modern world, the same way it was back in the Aztec world. Of course it was also used to entice the Gods before a human sacrafice (reminds me of an ex I have *shudder*). Vanilla is also the cause for an unknown number of murders throughout history, flavoring your favorite foods, and is one of the most chemically complex compounds known to man! Vanilla, truly, is anything but vanilla.
Given, my book club was hesitant to read Patricia Rain, the Vanilla Queen's, newest book Vanilla: The Cultural History of the World's Favorite Flavor and Fragrance. Food histories are rarely o the top of anyone's "Must Read" list, and why would it be when The Secret Life of... can condense it so much easier in a simple half hour serving? But I was able to convince them otherwise, and they for the most part, enjoyed it.
Patricia Rain is by no means a truly professional writer (pot calling the kettle black), as it is layed out much like a college thesis - chronologically, and by subject. Luckilly it doesn't read like one; most of the time that is. While some historical backgrounds of the sweet bean may drag a bit, the favorite flavors' fascinating and intriguing story always pulls you in and Rain's writing always catches you time and again.
Rain begins the book with a short rundown of how and where vanilla grows and subsequently the how and where vanilla is cured and processed. She then proceeds to take us through it use and history in Aztec culture such as the above mentioned people slaughters and seductions. The tale then weaves through it's migration to Europe where it is subsequently forgotten except as a component of hot chocolate. An interesting story here is one of a pastor baning the high society parishoners from having their servants bring them their hot cocoa and vanilla to church, consistently interrupting his services. He is soon dispatched of via poison. Fun, fun. It goes without saying that the next pastor is more than happy to allow steamy sweet drinks.
The book soon goes into vanilla's sudden boom in France and Spain. We also delve into it's explosion into America thanks to prohiobition, because bathtub vodka's flavor just demands to be covered up. Vanilla candy, and flavor was a popular choice much like orange juice (the birth of the Screwdriver) to create tasty boozy drinks, bringing on the phrase, "Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker."
Luckilly she not only covers the social context and history of vanilla, but also it's significant standing in botany, religion, mythology, agriculture, and economics so the book in itself is quite complete. The pictures and "side bar factoids" are always welcome and help break up the sometimes monotonous vanilla musings.
Of course the book does have pitfalls. As I have mentioned before, the book does sometimes get itself in a rut. I think some of the European history chapters I just ended up skipping all together as it reminded me of dry cultural geography classes back in high school. The history section is also so long that I just started to randomly read the chapters in an order based on what sounded fascinating at the time. I think it just reads better that way.
The contemporary history is by far the most intriguing section where we see why Vanilla beans are so expensive with difficulty in cultivating them in addition to constant theft and murder over them being the main reasons (although the World Market has Tahitian beans for 2 bucks! I assume they somehow bypass the murder somehow...). Plus, it goes through the scientific experimentation as it is utilized as a perfume, aphrodesiac, and drug, each with quixotic, though not surprising, results.
Ms. Rain appropriately sprinkles in some vanilla recipes throughout the book, creating a mouthwatering read to say the least. I tested out a few of them and let me say they truly rock my socks. The Vanilla and Coconut Milk with Shrimp recipe is heavenly, though I suggest you add a bit of cayenne to give it some kick. Plus the Chipotle-Vanilla Salsa and Barbeque Sauce is a mind altering experience. It's really like nothing you have ever tried before! I lurvs me some vanilla and garlic, and this married the two together into a perfect spicy sweet union! The taste of this and all her recipes is a mix of ephemeral and exotic.
Overall I give this a 3 out of 5. People who like food literature like this will adore Rain's vanilloquy. The everyday reader... not so much. It is however a book that you can easily pick up at anytime and will make a gorgeous addition to your book or cookbook shelf!
Summary of Vanilla: The Cultural History of the World's Favorite Flavor and Fragrance
It has seduced kings and comforted millions. Part culinary history, part cultural commentary, Vanilla tells the remarkable story of the world's most popular flavor and scent.The Spanish considered vanilla the ultimate aphrodisiac, the Totonac Indians called it the fruit of the gods, and the Aztecs taxed the Mayans in vanilla beans, using the beans as currency. Today, vanilla is in our coffee, our perfume, tea, home products, body lotion, and just about anything imaginable.
Patricia Rain explores the incredibly diverse effect of vanilla on the worlds of food, medicine, psychology, and even politics. She intertwines the fields of cultural anthropology, botany, folklore, and economics, tracing the marvelous path of vanilla throughout world history. Vanilla shows how the impact and marketing of this ubiquitous little bean over the last eight hundred years saved the indigenous peoples of Mexico and Tahiti, put Madagascar on the map, drove the success of the great Parisian perfume houses and Europe's confection industry, and spurred trade routes across the Indian Ocean. Rain examines the rich history of vanilla with exacting detail and discusses its current role in our lives and the modern retail world, where the "vanilla boom" has caused the prices of many common consumer items to skyrocket.
Filled with fascinating insights, quirky characters, trivia, and even recipes, this beautifully written book is perfect for vanilla lovers, history buffs, and anyone interested in a real-life captivating story.
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