- so i ve traveled north from the port of veracruz to the region where vanilla originates. so, i ve travelled north from the port of veracruz to the region where vanilla originates. this is where the plant is from. i m so excited, i m probably the biggest fan of vanilla. i ve been looking forward to this moment for a long time. they say, good things come to those who wait. and the prized vanilla bean from veracruz is definitely one of those things. i don t think i ve ever seen so many vanilla beans in one place. yeah. for mexico i ve been invited here by norma guya, from mexico s oldest vanilla family, who have been
this is quite different from this morning, but at the same time, very familiar and definitely nods to the traditional way you make chili relleno. just as my roots in veracruz go back hundreds of years, so do the origins of every recipe. vera veracruzanos continue to celebrate the produce that pass through their port. but fighting for the freedom to create something new has also been a cornerstone of their rich history. and with that kind of mind-set, you just know there are more great things to come. do you believe in magic?
totonac civilization. you can tell by the buildings, there s many buildings dedicated to ceremony and rituals. it extends forever. over 1,000 years ago, way before any spanish arrived, two civilizations vied for supremacy in veracruz, the aztecs and the totonacs. and up here in the north, it was the totonacs that prevailed. set between two large streams that flowed to the river, el tajin was perfectly shielded from attack, and is one of the best-preserved prehispanic cities in mexico. this advantage was key to the survival of the totonac people. and this particular culture is still practicing their rituals and ceremonies today. hola. [ speaking non-english ] i host founded smoke women, a
eric s passion for cooking with every type of fish from veracruz makes him a hero in my book. and i ll drink to that. ( ) this electric feels different. because it s powered by the most potent source of energy there is . you. this is the lexus variety of electrification . inspired by, created for and powered by you. all the things i feel inside when i see my mother s eyes
harvesting it for hundreds of years. and she is the first woman to take charge of the business. so, if vanilla is endemic to mexico, is mexico the number one producer? no. turns out madagascar produces about 80% of the world s vanilla. but guess what? it was veracruz that gave it to them. it s more expensive. because it s the best? yes. of course it s the best. and now here, you can see how they are taking care of each vanilla bean. each vanilla bean. each vanilla bean just to be sure. it can get infected. so, she needs to cut the tip off. wow. very labor intensive. and that s just the tip of the vanilla bean. wait until you hear what it takes to create it in the first place.