Skip to main content

Intriguing and Illegal: Tonka Beans

By
Clicking around Monterey Bay Spice Company's website - to use my groupon - I wanted to purchase things that were unusual and new to me.

Tonka beans fit the bill perfectly. Described as having an aroma that is a mixture of vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, and tobacco, I thought them a perfect addition to my culinary adventures, especially since I'd never heard of them before.

And while searching for recipes that utilitze the beans, I realized that - sold as a food item - tonka beans are illegal in this country.

How is that possible? They were just delivered to my doorstep! Then I discovered that tonka beans are commonly used and sold for love spells and other witchcraft rituals. That made them all the more intriguing. Thank goodness for witches!

A quick note about the ban, as gleaned from several websites, including Ike DeLorenzo's article "The Tonka Bean: An Ingredient So Good It Has to Be Illegal"...

In this country, all foods that contain the chemical compound coumarin are considered by the FDA to be 'adulterated' and have technically been illegal since 1954. Tonka beans are a major source of coumarin; however, at least 30 entire tonka beans (or 1 gram of coumarin total) would need to be eaten to approach levels reported as toxic. It's interesting to note that coumarin also occurs naturally in cinnamon, lavender, licorice, and a host of other commonly eaten plants—all of which would seem to be illegal under the regulation.

So tonka beans are no more toxic than any other spice that contains coumarin however the FDA is enforcing this old law in regards to tonka beans. Has anyone been busted for tonka bean possession? You bet. In the middle of this past decade, federal regulators got busy tracking down chefs using the tonka bean. Chef Grant Achatz, from Alinea in Chicago, described the warning call from his supplier: "They said, 'Don't be surprised if the FDA shows up soon.' Two days later, they walked in: 'Can we look at your spice cabinet?'"

Wow. I guess I'd better use all my beans as quickly as I can. Or...just claim I'm a witch. That works for me.
Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 2, 2011 at 7:02 PM

    I've never heard of tonka beans. So tempting. I really wanna try it. Seriously, an illegal bean. ;*?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jenn EricksonMay 9, 2011 at 9:14 PM

    I'm intrigued and definitely must try some. So, after trying them in the hot milk sponge cake, how would you describe their flavor?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Camilla M. MannMay 9, 2011 at 9:34 PM

    Hmmm, @Jenn, good question. I would say smoky but sweet. Definitely unique.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Connecticut Lobster Rolls, Canned Lobster Bisque, and a 2019 Henry Fessy 'Maître Bonhome' Viré-Clessé #Winophiles

By
This month the French Winophiles group is looking at affordable wines from Burgundy.  Host Cindy of Grape Experiences wrote: "Burgundy, or Bourgogne, is known for its wines of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir... as well as Aligote, Gamay, Sauvignon, César, Pinot Beurot, Sacy, Melon in lesser quantities. Many of the well-known wines are quite expensive, but there are plenty of values to be found." Read her invitation here. And there won't be a Twitter chat for this event, so you will have to dive into the articles themselves to read about our pairings and findings. Here's the line-up... Wendy Klik from A Day in the Life on the Farm enjoys Domaine Chevillon Chezeaux Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits, 2018 Paired with a Maple Pecan Chicken . Camilla Mann from Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares her love of Connecticut Lobster Rolls, Canned Lobster Bisque, and a 2019 Henry Fessy 'Maître Bonhome' Viré-Clessé. Jeff Burrows of FoodWineClick! explains why we should Look t
5 comments
Read more

Meyer Lemon Custard-Filled Matcha Turtles #BreadBakers

By
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our  Pinterest board  right here. Links are also updated after each event on the  Bread Bakers home page .  We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. This month Stacy of Food Lust People Love  is hosting and she wrote: "Your bread can be large, as in one big animal, or small - animal-shaped rolls. Use your imagination! Points for flavor and shape!" If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to Stacy at foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com. Here's the animal-shaped bread basket from the #BreadBakers... Beef and Sweet Onion Dim Sum Pandas from Karen's Kitchen Stories Bird Bread Rolls from Ambrosia Easter Bunny Buns from Cook with Renu Ham and Cheese Elephant Rolls from Food Lust People Love Hedgehog Bread from Making Mir
15 comments
Read more

Homemade Lorna Doone Cookies #SundayFunday

By
Today the Sunday Funday group is celebrating childhood favorites. Thanks to Stacy of  Food Lust People Love , Sue of  Palatable Pastime , Rebekah of  Making Miracles , and Wendy of  A Day in the Life on the Farm  for coordinating this low-stress group. Today Stacy is hosting and she's given us the following prompt: "Childhood favorites. Did you have a favorite dish growing up? It could be something your family cooked or a restaurant dish, even a Chef Boyardee canned good or packaged ingredients like Rice-a Roni or mac and cheese. Recreate THAT dish from SCRATCH for this event."  Here's the #SundayFunday childhood favorites line-up... Chili Mac from A Day in the Life on the Farm Ham and Mushroom Breakfast Burritos from Making Miracles Homemade Lorna Doone Cookies from Culinary Adventures with Camilla Homemade Wonder Bread from Karen's Kitchen Stories K-Mart Sub Sandwiches from Palatable Pastime Kempakki Dosa from Sizzling Tastebuds Meat Chilly Fry by Sn
6 comments
Read more