Is it true that vanilla does not have a real flavor, it is aroma?

Answer 1

~*~Yes, vanilla does have a flavor. Following are some excerpts from wikipedia:

Vanilla is a flavoring, in its pure form known as vanillin, derived from orchids in the genus Vanilla. The main species harvested for vanillin is Vanilla planifolia. It is a native of Mexico, though it is now widely grown throughout the tropics. Madagascar is the world's largest producer.

The fruit (a seed pod), if left on the plant, will ripen and open at the end; it will then exhaust the distinctive vanilla smell. The fruit contains tiny black seeds, which, in ripe fruits, carry the vanilla flavour. These black seeds are the tiny black "dust" one may find in dishes prepared with whole natural vanilla.

Though there are many compounds present in the extracts of vanilla, the compound predominantly responsible for the characteristic flavor and smell of vanilla is known as vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde). Another minor component of vanilla essential oil is piperonal (heliotropin). Piperonal and other substances affect the odour of natural vanilla.

The part of the plant in which the distinctive flavory compounds are found is the fruit, resulting from the pollination of the flower. One flower produces one fruit. Vanilla planifolia flowers are hermaphrodite: they carry both male (anther) and female (stigma) organs; however, to avoid self-pollenization (which would tend to result in genetic deficiencies), a membrane separates those organs. Such flowers may only be naturally pollinated by a specific bee found in Mexico. Growers have tried to bring this bee into other growing locales, to no avail. The only way to produce fruits is thus artificial pollination.

Vanilla essence comes in two forms: the actual extract of the seedpods, and the far cheaper synthetic essence, basically consisting of a solution of synthetic vanillin in ethanol. Natural vanilla is an extremely complicated mixture of several hundred different compounds, versus synthetic vanillin which is derived from phenol and is of high purity.

Good quality vanilla has a strong aromatic flavour, but foodstuffs with small amounts of low quality vanilla or artificial vanilla-like flavorings are far more common, since true vanilla is much more expensive.

Answer 2

Flavor is a combination of taste, smell, appearance, and texture. Scientifically it's only possible to perceive the 5 Basic Tastes which include: Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Sour, and Umami. Our tongues are capable of experiencing spiciness, tingly numbness, coolness, temperature, astringency, and fat. These other sensations are not technically experienced as taste but are experienced as part of our somatosensory system. When taste is combined with our other senses, sight, sound, and touch, the blended response produces flavor. To taste what vanilla would be like without a sense of smell just plug your nose and put a little on your tongue. Without the sense of smell you would only experience the taste produced by the chemical sensors in your mouth. When you allow yourself to smell the aroma of the vanilla while you are tasting it, your mind will be able to produce the response we associate with Vanilla. When we are eating receptors in our noses and our mouths are simultaneously blending chemical responses to produce the flavors we associate with different food. Our noses can smell many more chemical compounds than are mouths are capable of tasting. To answer your question: Vanilla has a taste without it's aroma but it's not characteristic of Vanilla. We taste food and experience their flavor from a blended response of our sensory system. Most flavor is derived from the sense of smell. That is why when people have colds they frequently say they can't taste anything.

Answer 3

They took Vanilla Coke and Pepsi Vanilla off the market because you could taste it (way better than lime coke), but you couldn't smell it. It has both an aroma (used in incense and candles) and it has a taste, used in vanilla ice cream, etc. I love the taste and smell of vanilla.

Answer 4

Vanilla come from a bean, and then is mixed with some other stuff like sugar to bring out the taste of the vanilla, so you are part right.

Answer 5

It has a wonderful flavor when you add it to other ingredients. But take a little taste by itself and it nearly knocks you off your feet it tastes so nasty. The aroma is great, too.

Answer 6

Vanilla comes from a vanilla bean, soaked in vodka. Yes, there is real alcohol in real vanilla, and it has a flavor.

Answer 7

aroma and flavor are the same thing, aroma is what you smell, flavor is what you taste

Answer 8

well like 90% of taste is actually smell but no it does have a flavor

Answer 9

If you don't believe that, put a drop on your pinky and taste it. Without a doubt it will make a quick believer out of you.

Answer 10

vanilla has flavor.