Distilled from the delicate fruit of a rare orchid flower, vanilla may be ubiquitous, but it’s far from unappreciated. Its deeply layered flavors and intense, alluring aromas have made it one of America’s most beloved flavors when starring upfront, and the indispensable “something special” when used as a supporting player.
While it’s at home in desserts, baked goods and dairy, vanilla can also do surprising things in places you’d least expect it. Vanilla has always been well known for amplifying and rounding out sharp sugar notes, but savory foods with subtle sweet notes can also be enhanced with just a drop of vanilla. It’s sweet associations and subtly woody taste make it a perfect foil for bright acids or pungent spices. Behind the bar, vanilla adds a distinctly floral note to cocktails of both sweet and sophisticated varieties. Vanilla has always been so much more than, well, “plain ol’ vanilla”. Let these ideas inspire you to think outside the bean:
Stay ahead of the trends with flavor pairings your customers demand. To learn more about McCormick’s vanilla solutions, contact your McCormick account representative or contact us today. Read more about the complexities of growing, harvesting and manufacturing this fascinating flavor in our Vanilla report here.
