The Totonacs of Veracruz, Mexico were the first known people to cultivate vanilla. By the 1400s, the Aztecs were using it to sweeten chocolate. After Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés brought the pods ...

Have you ever bought imitation vanilla extract because the real thing was prohibitively expensive? This column is for you. Homemade extracts are easy to make (you can even make them with your kids if ...

Let's face it: Vanilla beans are pricey. Each is priced at $3, $4 or more, and some vanilla extracts can run nearly $4 an ounce. Vanilla beans can last for years if stored properly, but they can dry ...

I like to kick off my dinner parties with a celebratory elixir. Before tucking into any food or wine, I serve my guests shot glasses filled with a luminous green spirit. It’s really more chartreuse in ...