Tonka bean

The tonka bean is the seed of Dipteryx odorata, a species of flowering tree in the pea family Fabaceae. They are black and wrinkled and have a smooth brown center.

 Uses 
Tonka Beans had been used as a vanilla substitute, as a perfume, and in tobacco before being banned in some countries. They are used in some French cuisine (particularly, in desserts and stews) and in perfumes. Today, main producers of the seeds are Venezuela and Nigeria.

The beans were also spelled as "Tonquin"Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford (1851) and "Tonkin","Ate His Chop in Solitude: Tennyson's Aloofness Respected by Fellow Diners at Restaurant He Patronized", The Mt. Sterling Advocate. Wednesday, October 6, 1909. Mt. Sterling, KY: Harris and Mason although it has no link with Tonkin, now part of Vietnam.

 References 

Category:Faboideae