Elusive Flower

When I said I was filling a sketchbook with ideas for my vanilla project, I wasn’t joking. I have done a lot of thumbnails! Web design is a completely new area for me; quite different to the print design that I am used to doing, though the design thinking sometimes overlaps between the two areas. I am also trying to learn three new programs! It’s a busy and stressful time, but also very rewarding. Today I’d like to share some more of my research, about vanilla’s long and interesting history.

The vanilla plant is native to Mexico where local tribes, in particular the Totonac people, treated the aromatic spice as a sacred gift from the gods. It is firmly rooted in their ancient legends, where it is believed that the spilt blood of two lovers transformed into the vanilla orchid; its tendrils and vines symbolising their embrace, the flowers a tribute to the slain princess, and the scent finer than incense.

In early times the elusive and short-lived vanilla flowers were pollinated by long-billed hummingbirds and rare bees, meaning that only a few beans grew on each vine. The beans were allowed to fully ripen and split open before harvested.

In about 1500BC, tribes from different regions began trading with each other, exchanging spiritual beliefs and important discoveries such as vanilla and cacao. Similarly, the conquering Spaniards brought the same items back to Europe in the 1500’s, fuelling the new spice trade and igniting the senses of the privileged in society who could afford such exotic luxuries. Europeans came to learn the medicinal properties of vanilla that had been known to the tribes for hundreds of years. It was effective in settling the stomach, treating insect bites, and was a proven aphrodisiac – “the Viagra of the 16th century” – among other varied uses.

The French expanded the use of vanilla in the perfume industry, and were responsible for establishing the first vanilla plantations outside of Mexico, in the Réunion and Mauritius islands. It was there that a 12-year-old slave discovered how to pollinate the flowers by hand and produce a significantly larger yield. Today, Madagascar is the world’s largest producer of vanilla, but prices have fluctuated since the 1970s due to environmental and political factors, demand far outstripping the supply, and the increasing use of imitation vanilla.

Vanilla: The Cultural History of the World’s Favourite Flavour and Fragrance by Patricia Rain is an amazing resource for all things vanilla. If you’re interested in reading further, I would certainly suggest this book. David Lebovitz also had a very informative post on his blog, here.

A quick word about the cheesecake, I made this for Easter lunch with the family and everyone loved it, though we could only fit in small slices after a big meal. I really loved the cookie-like hazelnut crust. This is the first time I’ve used ricotta in a cheesecake but I was pleasantly surprised by the delicate texture, it was rich but not heavy. The original recipe called for apricot jam, but I substituted my new favourite, a delicious plum, cherry and raspberry jam. The use of a 24cm cake tin means that the cheesecake is quite skinny, but it gave a nice ratio of crust to filling.

Vanilla Spice Cheesecake
Adapted from Australian Women’s Weekly Cheesecakes
Serves 10-12

Hazelnut Crust
• 80g butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup plain flour
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup vanilla-infused caster sugar *
• 1/3 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup jam, warmed

Vanilla Bean Filling
• 1 vanilla bean
• 250g cream cheese, softened
• 500g ricotta cheese
• 2/3 cup vanilla-infused caster sugar *
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 eggs

* to make vanilla infused caster sugar, place one vanilla bean (if used before, rinse and thoroughly dry it) into an airtight container with 1 cup of caster sugar. Leave to infuse for at least a week.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly grease a 24cm springform tin, and line with non-stick baking paper.
2. For the crust, combine the butter, vanilla, flour, spices, sugar and hazelnuts in a medium bowl. Press mixture over the base of the prepared tin. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Bake for about 20 minutes or until just browned. Spread with jam.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 150°C (300°F)
4. For the vanilla bean filling, split vanilla bean in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds with a small, sharp knife. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, ricotta, vanilla seeds, half the sugar and juice in a small bowl with an electric mixer until just combined. Transfer to a large bowl.
5. Combine the remaining sugar and eggs in a bowl, beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes on high speed or until thick and creamy. Fold the egg mixture into the cheese mixture and pour over the prepared base.
6. Bake in a slow oven for about 35 minutes or until firm to touch. Cool cheesecake in oven with door ajar. Refrigerate overnight.