The mountainous eastern Mexican uplands blended into the warm, humid haze of late summer. In Veracruz, King Tenitzi III’s daughter, a ravishing beauty nicknamed the Morning Star, ran across the plains. She met eyes with a horned youth – the Deer Prince. They exchanged but a few words, yet the magic of love was set in motion.
When King Tenitzi III learned of the romance, he was blinded with rage. He sent his priests after them. The sky darkened. He decided that the souls of the Morning Star and the Deer Prince would be sacrificed to appease the anger of the gods.
Tears of their blood gave rise to a small shrub. The branches intertwined like lovers in their last embrace. Star-shaped flowers covered the entire tree. A few days later, many shoots emerged from the ground and the first branches of black vanilla swayed in the wind, whispering the fragrance of the vanished lovers.
'Estrella de la Mañana' is a black vanilla pod, the core of which is cut and consumed in the fireplace. The smoky aroma of wood and black cocoa powder harmonizes with the smoothness of vanilla.
