Where Vanilla Came From.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 4 September 1914, Page 2

Where Vanilla Came From.

The history of vanilla Is closely associated with that of cocoa and chocolate, for vanilla came with cocoa to Europe ; in fact, these three highly-important products of New Spain were introduced into Europe by Spaniards. In the year 1520 cocoa was first drunk at the Court in. Madrid, and with chocolate, also a Mexican product, was quickly adopted.

For commercial reasons the method of manufacturing chocolate was kept a. strict secret, and it was made almost exclusively in Mexico. In some manner, however, the care-fully-guarded secret reached Spain, and in 1510 Mic first chocolate factory was established at Barcelona.

In the production of a delicately - flavoured chocolate vanilla is a necessity, and we may, therefore, conclude that the first introduction into Europe of vanilla for commercial purposes dates back to about 1540.

The word vanilla is derived from the Spanish "vainilla," the diminu-

tive of "vaina," a pod ; consequently, vanilla means a "little pod."