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There are tons of plants that have the same flavor profile as vanilla, just not ones that retain their flavor when dried for years on end. But if you're just ma
by Alex3917 8y ago
There are tons of plants that have the same flavor profile as vanilla, just not ones that retain their flavor when dried for years on end. But if you're just making ice cream, you could just as easily use black locust flowers or whatever and no one would know the difference.
- markbnj 8y agoSure, most natural flavorings have artificial substitutes, but there is a market for the natural products even if nobody could really distinguish them by taste alone.
- soperj 8y agoblack lotus flowers would be a natural substitute.
- FreeFull 8y agoThis comment reads a bit like a non-sequitur, given Alex was talking about natural substitutes for vanilla, and not artificial ones.
- markbnj 8y agoGood point, hastily written and deserves the down votes :). I really meant to say that some people want natural vanilla, and will pay for it.
- adrianhel 8y agoThe substitute was not artificial. It's a natural alternative.
- WiseWeasel 8y agoUnfortunately, you can only harvest black locust (aka Acacia) flowers for about two weeks out of the year, and they don't keep at all. Also, they're always hopelessly infested with bugs, so you have to think of bug juice when you eat them. That said, the French have a great dessert recipe for battered/fried black locust flower beignets: 1) Snip the bunches of black locust flowers from the tree at their base stem. Maybe let them sit out in the sun for an hour on a cloth so some of the bugs can escape. Then rinse the bunches in cold water. 2) Prepare some pancake batter with maybe 30-50% extra milk, obtaining a thickness that forms ribbons as it drips from the whisk, or a bit thicker. 3) Heat up a frying pan and add a half inch of mild-flavored oil to it. 4) Hold a bunch of flowers by the stem, dip it evenly in the batter, and fry both sides until browned, then remove them to some paper towels on a plate to drip dry and cool off. 5) Sprinkle sugar evenly to taste while still warm and enjoy heaven, trying not to think of bug juice.
- Alex3917 8y ago> they don't keep at all Supposedly they freeze pretty well actually, never tried it though. (Or at least they maintain their flavor if not their texture, which is all that matters if you're taking them out of the recipe anyway after infusing.)
- WiseWeasel 8y agoYou might be able to do a preparation like orange flower water, a little bit of which is really good added to that pancake batter (and lots of baked goods - often in lieu of vanilla). I'd imagine black locust flower water might be used in a similar fashion. I'm guessing flower water is the aqueous fraction of a non-alcoholic distillation. Also, black locust flower syrup is apparently a thing if you don't happen to have a still handy: http://www.natureontheshelf.com/food-and-drinks/black-locust-flower-syrup.html http://www.natureontheshelf.com/food-and-drinks/black-locust... That seems like it would be pretty good.
- Alex3917 8y agoYeah it's pretty similar to orange flower water actually, but slightly more floral.