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Tim Ecott
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Vanilla: Travels in Search of the Ice Cream Orchid Kindle Edition

by Tim Ecott (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 45 ratings
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From Papantla in Mexico—“the city that perfumed the world”—to the Indian Ocean islands, Vanilla traces the story of the vanilla plant and its secretive trade.
 
From the golden cups of Aztec emperors to the ice cream dishes of US presidents, vanilla has mystified and tantalized man for centuries. The only orchid that produces an agriculturally valuable crop, vanilla can mask unpleasant tastes and smells, but also makes pleasant tastes stronger, smoother, and longer lasting. Because it has over four hundred separate flavor components, choosing premium vanilla beans is as complex as judging the aroma and taste of fine wine. Vanilla finds its way into over half of all dessert products sold worldwide, as well as the finest perfumes, well-known brands of rum and vodka, and even Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Americans consume more vanilla than anyone else on Earth—a fact that has forced growers and traders to mount armed guards over their plants in the tropical jungle. The traders who travel the world in search of America’s favorite flavor are a small and secretive elite. Vanilla is a globetrotting adventure that follows buccaneers, aristocrats, and gourmets, all in search of the ice cream orchid.
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  1. Print length
    225 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Grove Press
  5. Publication date
    December 1, 2007
  6. File size
    3897 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

There are more than 25,000 different species of orchids, but only one has agricultural as well as aesthetic value: the vanilla orchid. Its beans may be the planet's most valuable fruit, noteworthy since they're cultivated not for any particular nutritional value but simply for their flavor. Travel journalist Ecott traces vanilla's history from its Mexican origins. Mayan soldiers used to quaff vanilla-flavored drinks before battle, and once Cortés brought the bean back to Europe, Queen Elizabeth became hooked on vanilla pudding. Botanists couldn't figure out how to fertilize the plant outside its native soil, however, until 1841, when a slave in the French African colony of La Réunion showed his owner how to open the flower and press the right parts together. In a few decades, his discovery had made the island the largest producer of vanilla beans in the world. (Unfortunately, there are no maps to make this or other locations clear in readers' minds.) Ecott visits the island and its paltry memorial, along with several other outposts of the vanilla economy, from a Madagascar warehouse containing $100 million worth of beans to the California home of a self-styled "Vanilla Queen" who sells cookbooks. The transitions from historical background to contemporary travels work well enough, yet the story never quite makes the crucial jump from mildly interesting to riveting. 8-page insert, line drawings throughout.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Ecott excels at quixotic explorations of corners of the dive world.... It should be awarded a place on any diver's reference shelf for tasty tidbits of history alone."

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00512QG78
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grove Press (December 1, 2007)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 1, 2007
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3897 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 225 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 45 ratings

About the author

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Tim Ecott

Tim Ecott

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I am a journalist and a keen diver. I lived in different countries as a child because my father was in the army. While working for the BBC World Service I reported from Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean states - and eventually ended up living in Seychelles, partly because I wanted to be able to dive more frequently. I travel a lot and have just realised a long held ambition - to visit Aldabra Atoll. Being underwater is something I have always enjoyed, and I never get tired of watching fish, or coral or sponges or sharks or even starfish. My last book - 'Stealing Water' - was a memoir about growing up in Ireland, the Far East and Africa. It shocked a lot of people. But it's a book I felt I had to write.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
45 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Sara Bayles
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and well-written
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2021
Verified Purchase
I love a good cultural history and this book did not disappoint. Eminently readable and full of fascinating facts. I highly recommend this book.
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Kathleen San Martino
4.0 out of 5 stars The history of vanilla is clouded in secrecy as if it were traded in a drug cartel
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2016
Verified Purchase
This author attacks the history of vanilla like a seasoned investigative reporter. Vanilla is produced in humid climates (it likes moist heat) such as Seychelles, Mauritius, Mexico, and Madagascar. Those who grow it, buy it, and sell it sort of live in a secret society. In many cases I felt like the author was describing the inside workings of a drug cartel. Chapter 12 about ice cream and perfume was my favorite chapter because it summed up vanilla's history and use.

I purchased this book on a whim at "bookoutlet" because I love vanilla. Although I did find the story a bit flat sometimes, I enjoyed living vicariously through him in his "search of the ice cream orchid."
7 people found this helpful
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shmohney
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2015
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I became obsessed with vanilla orchids and love this book. Recommended.
2 people found this helpful
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Shirley Keck
5.0 out of 5 stars best vanilla reference
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2010
Verified Purchase
This was a most interesting history of vanilla production and development. The author did an excellent job.
3 people found this helpful
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Pat
4.0 out of 5 stars Text book info
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2018
Verified Purchase
Great history and general information, but I had hoped for more information on growing the plants.
2 people found this helpful
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Kirsten M. Houseknecht
5.0 out of 5 stars another fine culinary history book!
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2011
First of all, a bit of a disclaimer: i adore history books that look at a culture or a time period through the lense of one thing. They add a focus and a storyline to what could otherwise be a confusing jumble of dates and names. This is one of those books, so i started out well disposed.

This book follows Vanilla from the boring every day foods we take for granted, through the worlds of haute cuisine, and into international finance, banditry, murder.. and questions of fair trade and historical treaties. You may never look at an item with Vanilla (or its artificial substitute, Vanillin) the same way again. It is, after all, in everything from ice cream (obviously) to your diet cola (really?) and the price fluctuations of Vanilla concern multi national concerns in ways you would not anticipate.

Like many books of this genre it can be a bit dense reading, and sometimes the jumps of place/time/culture can be a bit hard to follow, but all in all its fairly well organized. The problem of course is that the TRADE in vanilla jumps all over, crossing the same places and people over and over again, and this is just naturally a bit puzzling. I learned a lot about varieties of vanilla, why one is better in specific use than another... and how they are grown.

This book would be useful as a reference to any cooks, but especially to any bakers. Its obviously great for the history buffs, but it ALSO has a great interest n anyone researching how our food is grown/produced and the history of the slave trade.

Since almost all of us consume vanilla or its artificial substitute DAILY i suspect this book will be more interesting to most people than some of the other ones i liked, such as "Cod" or "The Big Oyster" or "Orchid Fever". If you like this one i suggest trying "a History of the World in 6 glasses" and "Salt, a world History" next.
15 people found this helpful
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Teri G.
5.0 out of 5 stars It was Fun Read.
Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2020
I was surprised. I thought it would be more serious and just facts. It was entertaining, exciting and fun! Did not expect that about a spice.
One person found this helpful
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The Rebecca Review
5.0 out of 5 stars An Exploration of the world of the Mexican Orchid
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2009
"Vanilla is the most labour-intensive agricultural product in the world." ~ pg. 2

What does a princess falling in love, rusting cargo boats, Queen Elixabeth I, the Aztecs, murder and Coca-Cola have in common. They are all part of the intriguing history of vanilla.

This book has interesting facts, like how Indonesian vanilla is better to use when baking cookies. There is a description of a visit to an ice cream factory and descriptions of a complex curing process to produce the vanilla we use in baking.

Tim Ecott meets with a reclusive botanist who is an expert on vanilla and paints a vivid portrait of the lives of people who work to bring the vanilla beans to the buyers. There is also information on how the scent of vanilla might help with weight loss.

"Before the beans can be measured and bundled they need to go into drying boxes for another eight months, and all the while they are shrinking as they lose their original moisture, so that five or six kilograms of green beans will weigh just one kilogram when dried." ~ pg. 157

If you have any interest in the history of the Mexican vanilla orchid then this book might be one you'll love to read. You may also be interested in:

 Lotus Light Pure Essential Oils - Vanilla 1 oz - Fragrance Oils

Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake Lip Shine

12 Madagascar Vanilla Beans

Vanilla Extract, Pure (Madagascar) 4fl.oz.

Anne Willan: From My Chateau Kitchen - a recipe for infusing a pineapple with vanilla using vanilla beans

~The Rebecca Review
7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 24, 2016
Verified Purchase
Fantastic book! Thank you!
One person found this helpful
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Tara S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Vanilla
Reviewed in Canada on January 20, 2014
Verified Purchase
An excellent guide into the history, cultivation, processing and global market of the world's 2nd most expensive spice. Ecott is a talented storyteller, effortlessly drawing the reader into this fascinating chronology of the world's most popular spice.

Will greatly interest foodies, history buffs, orchid lovers and those who appreciate a good tale. You won't be buying fake vanilla extract after reading this!
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Lindley G
5.0 out of 5 stars Upfront & Honest
Reviewed in Canada on June 17, 2020
Verified Purchase
the book was exactly the shape the seller said it was! Thanks for being an upfront, honest seller!
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