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 ...

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 ...