When Vanilla and Chocolate began an intimate relationship, they created the most beloved flavour in the world.
In ancient times, an orchid with fragrant pods at its heart grew in the tropical forests of Mexico. Indigenous peoples cultivated these orchids many centuries ago believing they were a sacred gift from the gods. Spanish Conquistadores discovered them in the 1500s, took the precious cargo to their ships and sailed to Spain. The orchids bloomed, but produced no vanilla pods. Amigos, you had taken the “mother”, but you left behind the “father”—the tiny native Melipona Bee that alone pollinated the flowers. It’s a long story.
Today at Vanil A Bean they nurture vanilla from farm to flavour. As a premium supplier of Planifolia and Vanilla Tahitensis products, their farm-to-table approach means that every vanilla product is rich in flavour, purity and traceability. They work hand in hand with small-holder farmers in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, insuring ethical sourcing, sustainable farming, and the highest quality standards.
Holding these long, shiny vanilla pods in my hand, I marvel at the knowledge that each flower of Vanilla Planifolia is pollinated by hand, and every bean is harvested after three years, cured, dried and aged over several months until it gives up its perfume, in this case, to me.
The warm, sweet, comforting aroma of Vanilla is like luxurious silken threads that soften the edges. It smooths and coalesces aromas and flavours together with a subtle, sensual hug. To paraphrase US President Teddy Roosevelt, “It walks softly but carries a big stick.” Surely, he must have been describing Vanilla.
I dream in Vanilla, with a few drops in a cotton pad on my pillow. Vanilla cake, ice cream, yogurt, coffee, perfumed candles, and the list goes on.
So, when an invitation comes for a luncheon at the Butcher Chef restaurant with a menu in which all five courses have Vanilla as an ingredient, I rsvp immediately.
The private dining room at the Butcher Chef speaks of classic good taste, of the solid old-school-luxury of polished wood and leather. It quietly declares that serious food is served here. I would expect nothing less from co-owners Michael Babick and the butcher chef himself, Derek Von Raesfeld.
Vanilla from Papua New Guinea is joined here by a Mexican cousin, Teremana Tequila, co-founded by renowned actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and a team of passionate individuals. Teremana stands as their testament to quality, craftsmanship, and reverence for tequila’s rich heritage. Expect star-studded notes of citrus, agave, vanilla, and earth. A medium-bodied Tequila, it has a warm and lengthy finish.
Luncheon begins with a classic Margarita that showcases Teremana Blanco’s bright citrus, agave and subtle vanilla notes. It’s followed later by a lively Spicy Paloma cocktail that adds grapefruit and jalapeno to the mix.
A perfect pairing with an amuse bouche of a Green Pea Tart with a cap of B.C. Uni, is brightened by a flirtatious herb and vanilla dressing. Hamachi Crudo is the appetizer and a favorite of mine, served here with strawberry, shallot, basil, puffed tendon, sesame, and a subtle lemon and vanilla dressing. I make a note to experiment with this dressing in my own kitchen. A middle course is usually some special gift from the chef, and ours is a winner: Lobster Ravioli with vanilla, Champagne butter, resting on a pillow of fresh Ontario asparagus ragu. Interesting how the illusive splash of vanilla acts as a lynch-pin to anchor all the flavours.
To pair with our main course of butter-poached B.C. Halibut with Vanilla, roasted spring carrots and vanilla cashew brown butter, the Spicy Paloma cocktail adds a fiery twist, accentuating the peppery notes.
We have had many culinary surprises during this luxurious lunch: food for the imagination and for the palate. And now, the coup de grace is dessert: Tequila infused crème brulé with vanilla-roasted pineapple salsa. The lush crème brulé is silk and velvet in the same spoonful, and the crackling caramelization adds texture, but it is the explosion of flavour that comes from the salsa that is memorable.
One of the defining features of Teremana Tequila is its unwavering dedication to sourcing the finest ingredients. The brand exclusively uses 100% blue Weber agave, cultivated in the fertile highlands of Jalisco, Mexico.
Vanilla is grown in a tropical area spanning the northern part of the state of Veracruz and into the northern limits of Puebla. Artists use the shiny brown stems to make figurines for tourists and restaurants serve dishes infused with vanilla for the full experience. Near the town square in Papantla, Veracruz is a plaque that tells “The Legends of Vanilla.” It is not a pretty tale. The story goes that a beautiful Indigenous princess was decapitated by the priests for having a romantic liaison. Now vanilla orchids grow from the place her blood fell. Orchids are so woven into the identity of Papantla that it is known as “the city that perfumed the world.”
The label on my take-home gift of a tube of shiny Vanil A Beans tells the story: Organic Gourmet Tahitian Vanilla Pods. Grown in Papua New Guinea. Perfected in Bali.
Long after the final spoonful of crème brulé has disappeared, it was not the tequila of even the beautifully prepared dishes that linger most vividly in my memory. It is vanilla itself—quiet, elegant and persistent—the invisible thread that has woven together an unforgettable afternoon.