Think Vanilla roundup, and we've been adopted!

Just returned from a kind of last minute vacation. We went to India and met our families for a few days - and needless to say, ate like pigs! Since it was a short vacation, our moms were on a mission to feed us all our favourite dishes in that short span - 5 days at my place, and 5 at my in-laws. Of course we didn't complain, although we were eating almost every 2-3 hours! In the evenings, we would go out and eat some more!! Yeah, my jeans do realise that!

I am late in posting the round up for the Think Vanilla event. Unfortunately, I got a lukewarm response - just 5 entries. Hopefully I should have a better response for my next event - Does My Blog Look Good In This (DMBLGIT). I shall have another post on that later today.
Before I get to the roundup - another announcement that I am very happy about. Snacksgiving is being adopted! We shall have a blogger momma - Amanda of What we are eating and "Food Porn Daily". Adopt-a-Blogger is a wonderful program that allows newbies in the blogging world find their place and learn from the veterans. The 4th Adopt-a-Blogger is being hosted by Kristen of Dine and Dish. Thank you Amanda for adopting us!

Below is the round-up for the Think Vanilla event. Thank you to all who participated.

- Stone Fruit Tea Cake (Peach Tea Cake) from Taste Space

- Chocolate Truffle from A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine

- Cream Cheese Brownies from Malaysian Delicacies

- Bannana Buttermilk Pancake from Zesty South Indian Kitchen

- Lemon Yogurt Cake from MySpicyKitchen Share

Think Spice -Think Vanilla

"Think Spice". This is the name of the monthly event started by Sunita Bhuyan. Each month a different blog chooses a spice, and hosts the event. This month, I get to host it. And the spice I chose is Vanilla - the orchid plant producing the aromatic vanilla bean - the second most expensive spice in the world (after saffron).
When I had chosen this spice a couple of weeks ago while suggesting my blog for the event, I had been doing a lot of reading about it since I was kind of mesmerised with it's fragrance. I had used up a vanilla pod in a recipe and tossed the used up pod in my sugar canister. The soft, warming, vanilla fragrance that would wake me when I would open it to add sugar to my coffee kind of had me delirious for a few days!

A lot of us living in Switzerland are found groping for a couple of ingredients during our first few weeks of cooking here, which are almost staple in the rest of the world. Things like packed light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, cake flour, chocolate chips and of course vanilla extract! We get vanilla pods, and also vanilla sugar. But the extract has to be procured while on visits abroad!

While buying the extract or the pod, here are a few things I keep in mind
- Try picking up one with Madagascar-Bourbon bean
- Look for "pure" vanilla extract. Never one which says "vanilla essence". This would be cheap synthetically produced scent
- If buying a pod, see that it pliable and shiny
And of course, never ever throw away a used up pod. You can add it to your sugar to make vanilla sugar, or even a homemade vanilla extract!

So this is the theme for this month's "Think Spice". Onto the "rules".
1) Send me the recipes from your blog using vanilla in any form before 1-Feb-2010.

2) Mail me at snacksgiving[at]gmail[dot]com with the subject "Think Spice" with the following details
Your Name:
Blog Name:
Recipe Name and URL:

3) If you do not have a blog, just send in a picture

4) Link back to this post. If using an old blogpost, please update it with a link to this post as well.

5)Use the below logo if you like.









I will post a roundup in the beginning of the February.
Have fun! Share