[Sca-cooks] Vanilla 2007 additional notes

Johnna Holloway johnna at sitka.engin.umich.edu
Mon Aug 27 16:39:56 PDT 2007


I just checked EEBO-TCP and "vanilla" only appears in
The manner of making of coffee, tea, and chocolate as it is used in most 
parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, with their vertues
Author: Dufour, Philippe Sylvestre, 1622-1687. London : Printed for 
William Crook ..., 1685.

<http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=eebo;cc=eebo;q1=vanilla;rgn=full%20text;view=toc;idno=A36763.0001.001> 

• ...r Pimiento, half an ounce of Cloves, three lit|tle Straws or 
Vanilla's de Campeche, or for want thereof, as much Annis-seed a ...
• ...Mexicans; but this Wood has nothing of affinity with our Vanilla's 
which are used in making the Chocolate, the which are very pleasant to 
th ...
• ...Alexandria, vulgarly called pale Roses, a little Bean Cod or 
Vanilla de Campeche, two drams of Cinnamon, a dozen of Almonds, and as ...

So that source really offers us nothing more than it did in 2003.

Of course if one searches in it under "Vinecaxtli" one can read that 
recipe as given in
A curious treatise of the nature and quality of chocolate. VVritten in 
Spanish by Antonio Colmenero, doctor in physicke and chirurgery. And put 
into English by Don Diego de Vades-forte.
Author: Colmenero de Ledesma, Antonio. Imprinted at London : By I. Okes, 
dwelling in Little St. Bartholomewes, 1640.

"There are also other ingredients, which are used in this Confection. 
One called Mechasuchil; and another which they call Vinecaxtli, which in 
the Spanish they call Orejuelas, which are sweet smelling Flowers, 
Aromaticall and hot. And the Mechasuchil hath a Purgative quality; for 
in the Indies they make a purging potion of it. In stead of this, in 
Spaine they put into the Confection, powder of Roses of Alexandria, for 
opening the Belly.
I have spoken of all these Ingredients, that every one may make choise 
of those which please him best, or are most pro|per for his 
infirmities." page 14

There are two modern books that are available:

Ecott, Tim. Vanilla. Travels in search of the Ice Cream Orchid. 2004.
Rain, Patricia. Vanilla. The Cultural History of the World's Favorite 
Flavor and Fragrance. 2004

Both were published after our initial conversations on the topic. 
Neither is indexed or footnoted as to sources.

Johnnae





More information about the Sca-cooks mailing list