Baked In Science

Vanilla remains one of the most popular flavors in the baking industry, but this fruit has a much more complex history than many realize. Vanilla (https://bakerpedia.com/ingredients/vanilla/) is thought to have originated in Central and Northern America, more precisely Mexico. In the 16th century, it was introduced to Europe by Spanish conquerors. In this episode of BAKED in Science, host Mark Floerke is joined by Emmanuel Laroche (https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuellaroche/) to discuss all things vanilla. Laroche is VP of Marketing & Consumer Insights at Symrise (https://www.symrise.com), creator and host of the podcast “Flavors Unknown,” and author of Conversations Behind The Kitchen Door and A Taste of Madagascar: Culinary Riches of the Red Island. Savoring the Flavor Some topics covered include: The “bean” fallacy Vanilla goes global Bye-bye vanilla bee Intricacies of vanilla production Vanilla versus vanillin Functional properties of vanilla