Vanilla: Travels in Search of the Ice Cream Orchid

From Papantla in Mexico—"the city that perfumed the world"—to the Indian Ocean islands, Vanilla traces the story of the vanilla plant and its secretive trade.

From the golden cups of Aztec emperors to the ice cream dishes of US presidents, vanilla has mystified and tantalized man for centuries. The only orchid that produces an agriculturally valuable crop, vanilla can mask unpleasant tastes and smells, but also makes pleasant tastes stronger, smoother, and longer lasting. Because it has...