A beaver’s butt smells like vanilla
Who does not love a scoop of vanilla ice cream with some chocolate sauce and a cherry on top? You might not know it, but achieving that rich flavor is not as easy as we all think. Vanilla beans are not the only source of vanilla aroma, and they are not the most used either.
Castoreum is the product of the anal glands of beavers and it was used in the past as a substitute for vanilla beans. People no longer use castoreum. Instead, they go for a synthesized compound called vanillin. So, now you know that a beaver’s butt smells like vanilla ice cream.