Valentine’s Day. The perfect opportunity to do something memorable for that special someone in your life. Most of us mere mortals take the path well trodden – a bouquet of flowers here, a little chocolate there. So why not make 2018 the year to do something a little more unique? Here are some tips to make your own natural bourbon vanilla extract, which, well, can also be turned into a Valentine aphrodisiac!
Now that we have your attention, let’s talk a little about why vanilla was the Viagra of the ancient world. Firstly, natural, high-quality bourbon vanilla simply possesses an aroma that is unique, sensual, alluring and seductive (just like durian, but you know… the opposite way). The Totonacs, Aztecs, Mayans and early Spanish all recognised the ability of the bean itself to change and enhance the ambience of festive situations – most notably Aztecs used it to add some pizzazz to their chocolate drinks. Of course, mankind always finds ways to innovate, and it wasn’t long before vanilla extract was created.
Vanilla extract allowed vanilla to be concentrated, preserved and utilised in many different and easier forms. Chief among this was the ability to be added to creams and other lotions that could be applied to the skin – as a perfume or massage ointments. Many studies have pointed to piperonal – also known as heliotropin – in the vanilla bean, as one of the key natural compounds that so appeal to our senses. The smell is often described as floral, spicy, sweet and with hints of cherry… and when combined with its close cousin vanillin, well, let’s just say it has the ability to boost the birth rates of many OECD nations.
We could go on and on, but we’ll pause and simply add that as well as being sexually stimulating, vanilla also has antioxidant abilities, anti-inflammatory properties and it could even lower your cholesterol. We’ll let your blood pressure go down before we give you that info! For now, be sure to check out our store for our latest prices on the best, natural vanilla from Madagascar.
Get something special for your Valentine this year. You can do better than Chocolate and flowers. So in the words of Russell Peters:
