Four ounces of badia vanilla essence, twelve per case. The fruit of a climbing orchid that grows wild in Central American jungles is called a vanilla pod. The Aztecs used it to flavor chocolate long before the Spanish conquistadors arrived at the end of the 15th century. A few drops of vanilla essence, which comes from the genuine vanilla pod, may greatly enhance the flavor of ice cream, cookies, cakes, liqueurs, fruit compotes, and custards.