Norfolk, Va

I recently read an article about one of my favorite spices - vanilla.  Most people like me considered chocolate to be the world's most lust-inducing food.  However, historically it has actually been vanilla that excited the libido the most. 

The word vanilla actually means ‘little pod' and is indigenous to Mexico.  When the Spanish invaded Mexico (where vanilla was first harvested) they imported it back to Europe where it acted as an aphrodisiac; they later used it to treat impotence. More recently in the late 1990's, the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago found that vanilla is one of the most arousing scents to men.  Today, vanilla is the second most expensive spice (after saffron) and is widely used in perfumes, baking, aromatherapy and many foods. 

Vanilla begins as an orchid (in Mexico it's called the flor recondita - meaning the hidden flower - because it's so elusive and requires a lot of work to cultivate). To produce a bean, a blossom must be fully fertilized within four hours of flowering, so it is actually hand pollinated instead of relying on bees. In Veracruz, Mexico, the vanilla orchid is truly prized, certainly beloved and definitely romanced.

Knowing this history makes me appreciate my favorite coffee drink, the Kreme de Kona latte from Bad Ass Coffee.  If you're looking for a drink with complementary flavors that blends coffee with chocolate AND vanilla, then try this.  I have developed a relationship with this drink - it is so tasty and satisfying.  I now know what it means when people say they love their coffee.  You'll be impressed!

Click here for a great coupon offering from Bad Ass Coffee.  Check out our reader's favorite drink the Kreme de Kona.