It would have been impossible to write this book without the resources of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Dr. Philip Cribb, Deputy Keeper of the Herbarium has been an invaluable and supportive source of reference on all matters relating to orchids, and greatly eased my research in the Herbarium and Library. Inside the library I am indebted to Craig Brough, Barbara Lowry and Anne Marshall for their patience in helping me track down early botanical works relating to the history of vanilla cultivation. Special thanks must go to Marilyn Ward, the Illustrations Curator, for her help in obtaining reproductions of so many relevant early botanical drawings and paintings.
Thanks also go to the library staff at the Archives Départementales in La Réunion where I obtained so much valuable information about the early days of Ile Bourbon, and the life of Edmond Albius. Madame Emmanuelle Vidal, who knows the collection better than anyone, was particularly kind. Réunion’s foremost historian, Daniel Vaxellaire shared his in-depth knowledge of the colonial history of the island. Susan Mordan and the Reference Staff of the US Library of Congress in Washington were also unfailingly efficient and helpful.
In spite of frenetic business schedules dictated by the vanilla crisis of the last three years, many people in the vanilla trade made themselves freely available to help. In the USA, I must thank Jeff Lehman of Shank’s Extracts in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for his expert knowledge and hospitality, as well as for allowing me access to his remarkable collection of vanilla memorabilia. In New Jersey, Bernard Champon of the Haiti Essential Oil Company was generous with his recollections of 20th Century vanilla broking history. Hank Kaestner, vanilla consultant extraordinaire, gave me the benefit of his many years in the trade, and much insight into hidden aspects of the industry. Thanks too, must go to Craig Nielsen at Nielsen-Massey Vanilla in Illinois for allowing me to visit their factory, and to Ernie Pinckney at Turkey Hill Dairy in Pennsylvania who knows as much as anyone about making ice cream. In California, Patricia Rain (the Vanilla Queen) has been generous in her support for this book whilst engaged in writing her own. She shared her passion for the plight of vanilla farmers, as well as so much of her detailed knowledge of Mexico, especially the Totonac culture and legends.
At Zink & Triest, I am indebted to Henry Todd ‘Senior’ in Montgomeryville, and Ian Blair at the A.M. Todd Company in Kalamazoo for sharing so much of their in depth knowledge of family history, and the mint and vanilla industries. Henry Todd ‘Junior’ deserves special mention for his encyclopaedic grasp of every aspect of the vanilla trade and for his friendship and hospitality. He also interrupted his merciless travel schedule many times to take telephone calls from a desk-bound author.
In Mexico, where the story of vanilla began, Agustin Arroyo was a remarkable and indefatigable guide and host, sharing his passion for Veracruzano music and all manner of knowledge on his country’s unique history, cuisine and culture. Manuel Diaz-Cebrian and Lupita Ayala at the Mexico Tourist Office in London also provided invaluable assistance with travel and contacts. Thanks also go to Duncan and Jacqueline Wood in Mexico City for hospitality and assistance with Spanish translations of early documents. Paulette Levy of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico also helped with the etymology and translation of Totonac vocabulary. In Papantla, ‘the city that perfumed the world’, warmest thanks go to Victor Vallejo, Pastor Gutierez Rivera and Javier Carreira Dueñas. In Mexico City, deepest thanks to Miguel Soto, the world’s foremost expert on vanilla botany who shared so much of his specialist knowledge and love for this remarkable plant.
In Madagascar my very warm thanks go to my friends and fellow journalists Voahangy Rakotarivelo and Honoré Razafintsalama for their hospitality and guidance over the years in Antananarivo. In Antalaha, thanks to Ramanandraibe Exports, and to Georges Randriamiharisoa, President of the Groupement National des Exportateurs de Vanille de Madagascar, and his charming wife, Clarice.
In Tahiti I thank Marc Jones in Papeete, Jeanne Chane on Raiatea, Alain and Cristine Plantier on Taha’a, and Didier Rougé-Biscay at the Taha’a Pearl Beach Resort.
Travel-writing commissions have provided a valuable subsidy on many of the journeys I took to research Vanilla. I am particularly grateful to Sarah Spankie at Condé Nast Traveller for the opportunity to use material gathered while on assignment for the magazine in Réunion. Graham Boynton, travel editor at the Telegraph deserves similar thanks for allowing me to visit Tahiti. Practical travel assistance was also received from Rebecca Aldridge at American Airlines and Sarah Hopkins at Air New Zealand.
In London, Nigel Phillips was an expert source of wisdom on ancient manuscripts, Stuart Redler was generous with his professional photographic advice and assistance, while Dr. Nicholas Walton at the Institute of Food Research in Norwich gave his expert input on vanillin synthesis. At Givaudan in Zurich, Dr. Roman Kaiser gave generously of his many years of experience in scent and fragrance research, and his colleague Thomas Muench gave me a delicious tutorial on ice cream flavour descriptors. Thank-you to Chef de Cuisine, Michel Roux, for allowing me into his famous kitchen at Le Gavroche in London and for sharing his memories of vanilla. For anyone interested in discovering just how versatile an ingredient vanilla can be, I suggest a visit to The Vanilla Pod in Marlow-on-Thames where restaurateur Michael Macdonald is a truly gifted chef. And, on so many journeys away from home I must acknowledge the repeated hospitality of Geoff Weg, Lenore Reese and Josh Isenberg in Los Angeles and New York.
I wish to thank my agent, Natasha Fairweather, at A.P. Watt, for her wholehearted support and encouragement during the planning, writing and execution of this book. I am also extremely fortunate to have an enthusiastic and passionate editor in Rowland White at Penguin Books. And to Jessica, Ilona and Morgan my love and thanks for putting up with both my absences and my presence when writing.