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Vanilla is much more than just an ingredient in baked goods, vanilla is a
magical flavoring and can do wonders in almost any food or beverage.
It's also very useful in calming our minds and bodies and helping us to feel
good. Here are some thoughts and suggestions for making use of vanilla's magic.
For instance, did you know that vanilla is...
An antacid
Add a few drops to fruit salads, or sauces containing citrus
to reduce the acidity and add sweetness. Try a
little vanilla in your tomato sauce too.
A lifter and enhancer
Add some vanilla extract to enhance the flavor of seasonal fruits
and other foods that need a flavor boost. Did you know that
chocolate without vanilla tastes "flat" which is why it usually contains
vanilla or vanillin?
An emulsifier
Vanilla extract helps emulsify egg batters (sweet or savory), waffle,
pancake mix, baked goods, and cream sauces. It also is a very
effective "bridge" in cooking and helps to "marry" different flavors.
A natural sweetener
A few drops of vanilla extract will add sweetness to vegetables, sweet
potatoes, and salad dressings. It intensifies the natural sweetness
of these foods with its delicate, subtle flavor.
An adjunct flavor for seafood, fowl, and meat
Vanilla is wonderful with roasted, sautéed or barbequed meats, poultry,
wild game or seafood. Split a vanilla bean and place it in a bottle of
olive or other quality oils for sautéing meats, poultry, or
seafood. Add a few drops of vanilla extract to cooked or steamed
fish, fowl, or game as well as to sauces and marinades.
A stomach sedative
Add pure vanilla extract to mineral water or apple juice to settle an
upset stomach. To soothe cranky, teething or sick children add a few
drops of vanilla extract to their milk or juice.
A natural calmative
Place several vanilla beans in a bottle or jar. Use as aromatherapy to
soothe jangled nerves. Sloane-Kettering and other medical facilities use
the aroma of vanilla to calm patients undergoing MRI and CAT scans.
Love the flavor of chilies but can't take the heat?
Sweet neutralizes heat: add some vanilla extract to soften the heat
while enhancing the natural flavor of peppers.
House paint smell too strong?
Add one or two tablespoons of vanilla extract to a gallon of paint
to help mask the smell.
Want to disguise your scent when fishing?
Rub vanilla extract on your hands before handling your fishing lines.
Many seasoned fishermen use this trick.
Want to attract the attention of the opposite sex?
Maybe even bring that special someone into your life? Wear some vanilla.
This natural fragrance is proven to attract both sexes.
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