Will the real vanilla please stand up?

"More than 99 percent of the world’s vanillin — the chemical compound in vanilla that is predominantly responsible for its aroma and flavor — is artificially synthesized, mostly from guaiacol, a viscous oil commercially produced using petrochemicals, and a smaller amount from lignin, a waste product in the processing of wood pulp into paper."

Fascinating article from the New York Times recently all about vanilla! Click the photo below of our Maui vanilla farm to read the article.