Re-reconsidering Vanilla
Photo by Flickr user brocktopia. Used under a Creative Commons license.
I've brought this up before elsewhere but has anyone checked out just how *exotic* vanilla plants are? They're epiphite orchids! The flowers can resemble male or female genitalia (depending on how you look.) The flavor's incredibly sophisticated. There are thousands of variations of what you can do with it. By comparison stinging nettles, used in BDSM, seems almost boring. :-)
That's *not* to say BDSM itself is boring -- far from it! It's just that vanilla actually isn't very boring either.
[Note: Image behind the "Continue reading..." fold is slightly unsafe for work. --fl]
Hey Now Figleaf, I totally agree and the idea that vanilla means boring is an irritant of mine. Vanilla is one of my favorite things, when I can get my hands on a real vanilla bean I can make an oh so sensual dessert. Good vanilla is a luxury like good champagne, just thinking about it makes me slightly weak in the knees.
Artificial vanilla, on the other hand is like bad sex.
[Oh yeah, natural vanilla beans are great. By the way, I think natural bean vanilla's wonderful in hot chocolate with really pungent dried chile. The same combo's great in a Oaxaca-style mole sauce. Definitely not "vanilla" that way. :-) Thanks, Mag. --fl]
I'm always confused by people who treat 'vanilla' as synonymous with 'boring', personally. S'my favorite ice cream. :}
(Captcha: 'marketing and'.)
[I think it's also nice to just carry a piece in a pocket -- just that little hint of vanilla goes very nicely with some people's scent. I remember a friend who wore one wound into the strands of a woven necklace. Just between her breasts it smelled *wonderful!* Thanks, Dw3t. --fl]
Vanilla ice cream is the best. It goes with everything. I think anything it doesn't go with, quite frankly, I probably wouldn't wish to consume!
Take the metaphor and run with it. It works.
[Oh I probably wouldn't want it in seafood, but I know what you mean, Jill. Thanks. --fl]