Vanilla

Technically a spice but more often regarded as a flavouring and fragrance, vanilla comes from the pod of a climbing orchid, Vanilla planifolia, thought to be native to Mexico but now cultivated in other parts of Central America and on the tropical islands of Hawaii, Tahiti, Madagascar and Indonesia. The fruity, spicy and fragrant character of vanilla varies according to its geographical location. On the flavour spectrum, vanilla marries with non-citrus fruits such as peaches, apples, cherries, pears, figs, strawberries and raspberries and with creamy nuts, coconut, chocolate, ginger, nutmeg, liquorice, cloves and cinnamon.