Vanilla: Anything but Plain

Vanilla is a foundation ingredient in many dessert recipes. It is often used to amplify other flavours, so it is sometimes relegated as a background note, although it really does round out sweet flavours, whether chocolate, caramel, or fruit. But vanilla on its own is anything but ordinary or bland. If I am testing out a new ice-cream shop or gelateria, I always try vanilla ice cream first to assess the quality of the place. As with using chocolate, the quality of the ingredient counts, and although good vanilla comes with a premium price tag, a little goes a long way, so your investment does last.