Do you know what it takes to grow up and be hated by millions of children, young adults, and regular adults all over the world? It takes being a Brussel sprout, being planted in a very nutrient-rich soil, ripening all spring, being collected in September, and served in exotic dishes to absolutely ruin the experience of eating. Can you tell I dislike Brussel sprouts?
9. Vanilla
The largest exporter of vanilla is Madagascar. Sweet, sweet vanilla is usually planted amongst other, taller trees, which provide shade and “moisture chambers” with their leaves. Vanilla grows on lianas and likes hot, humid conditions. It takes between 10 and 20 years to grow, and cross pollination is done manually, by people. Vanilla pods are usually around 22cm long, and after they are collected they are doused with boiling water and then sun-dried .Then they are sorted, bundled, and shipped for storage. With this amount of manual labor required, you can understand why natural vanilla is so expensive.