After a good hike, it is always prudent to sit a while, take off your boots and socks, let your feet breath a bit and have a snack. Now for anyone who knows me, I never take my food at face value even when the label says “organic” or “natural”. I ALWAYS read labels. It was no different when I was handed a “Cliff Bar” at the scenic turnout swing at Cedar Lake, Carriage Hills Metro Park.
In reading the ingredients I noticed the infamous words “natural flavors” and had to comment to my sister that those two words can mean a plethora of things. In this case, I am pretty sure these “natural flavors” were used in place of good old fashioned, and yes expensive, vanilla. I asked her if she was aware that, in this particular snack item, the “natural flavors” were probably from a beaver’s anal glands. (Yes, this is a true statement and you can look it up on Google if you don’t believe me). Castoreum is the anal secretion beavers used to mark their territory which also happens to smell like vanilla. With a little scientific tweeking, voila! A cheap alternative to vanilla.
Now my question is: Did anyone ask the beaver if it was okay to use their glands and were they compensated for their contribution?
Buen Camino (Americano)
“Holy” Sneakers 500
"Holy" Sneakers 500 