Favorite Vanilla?
Today I was shopping online for vanilla powder. In addition to powder, I found beans, extracts, paste, and sugar. I am currently working through a bottle of "vanilla crush," a vanilla extract with the vanilla specks in it. It has an excellent flavor, and gives the specks found in the vanilla bean. What's your favorite form of vanilla?
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19 Comments:
either madagascar vanilla from neilson-massey or penzey's single strength.
used in combination with my homemade vanilla sugar.
cybercita at 11:36PM on 10/10/08
@cyber -- doesn't the neilson-massey have added sugar? Or maybe I'm thinking of another brand.
I like the Penzeys, but I've been trying different brands as I find them. So far none have been terrible, but none have really struck me as being the ultimate, either.
dbcurrie at 12:02AM on 10/11/08
I got a lot of them and I use them for different things.
Nielsen Massey mostly bourbon, paste and powder
Penzey's several kinds
Sonoma Syrup Co. several types
Trader Joes
Some good mexican vanilla
JerzeeTomato at 12:26AM on 10/11/08
The absolutely best vanilla I ever had was a brand of Mexican called Xel-Ha.
My brother brought me back an entire pint of it when he was down there on vacation. I've used it all up and have not found any other that is as good as that. So, if you are ever in the vicinity of Cozumel (near where the cruise ships come in), look for it.
papillon at 7:02AM on 10/11/08
I have to agree with the Mexican vanilla. I used mine up. In addition to being divine, it was super cheap. Now, I'm kicking myself for not buying a bigger bottle. Must be a source online?
PerkyMac at 8:06AM on 10/11/08
@dbcurrie, yes, the neilson-massey does have a bit of sugar in it. at first i was horrified but it tastes so good that i decided not to be snobby about it. i must admit though that since a penzey's opened up in manhattan, i always buy my vanilla from them.
what i meant in my post was that i always use vanilla sugar in any recipe that calls for vanilla, plus whatever vanilla that the recipe calls for. i love the taste!
cybercita at 8:34AM on 10/11/08
I found a local brand - Ronald Reginald's - that was affordable (for the Mexican variety) and has been really delicious in baked goods and iced coffee. I like Nielsen-Massey - it's fascinating to me the differences in Madagascar Vanilla and Mexican Vanilla. I need to try Penzey's - I use a ton of their spices.
renoles at 10:44AM on 10/11/08
Perhaps the secret to Mexican vanilla is rum. I make my own vanilla and use a combination of spirits. Dark rum - not the spiced kind - is a wonderful addition.
suegsf at 3:20PM on 10/11/08
oh man i thought i would be the first to say mexican vanilla! I beg every family member that goes to get me a bottle. My sister just got back and brought me a huge bottle! (luv her) But I also love to use real vanilla beans. I found an organic shop online that is wayyyy cheaper then local markets. I like the way it leaves speckles in everything. I have never seen the slurry mentioned but i think i will have to keep my eyes open as i like that idea.
">http://luv2cooktoomuch.blogspot.com/"> luv2cook
love2cook at 4:20PM on 10/11/08
@love2cook--what is the online shop? The link on your comment didn't work :(
buffy at 6:02PM on 10/11/08
Can anyone supply a brand or other more specific indicators of what Mexican vanill that they love so much? I vacation in El Paso in the winter when I can (don't laugh, it's world-class rock climbing, cheap wonderful groceries, great restaurants, and nice weather) and we like to take a trip across the border at least once while we're down there (and yes, I know it is dangerous these days but I go in the daytime and surround myself with burly rockclimberboys).
What do I look for specifically to find this too-good-to-be-true vanilla, or do all Mexican groceries just carry vanilla of fabulous quality by default?
joyyy at 9:03PM on 10/11/08
Just curious -- has the problem with courmarin (sp?) in Mexican vanilla fixed, or is that still a concern?
dbcurrie at 12:11AM on 10/12/08
to dbcurrie - I was reading about vanilla earlier today and found this note.
I couldn't find a date on the posting and have no idea if it's current. It follows.....
Coumarin
Coumarin is a the bad guy of the vanilla industry. It is derived from the Brazilian tonka bean from Dipteryx ordorata, a tree. The bean can be used to make flavoring very similar to vanilla. Sadly the concoction is dreadfully toxic and can cause liver damage and is a know carcinogen.
Coumarin is used extensively in synthetic vanillas manufactured in Mexico. The U.S. banned imports of the coumarin laced products back in the 1950's. Unfortunately the products still make their way into the U.S.
If you purchase any Mexican vanilla make sure it is clearly labeled "coumarin free".
suegsf at 5:54AM on 10/12/08
I love the madagascar vanilla powder from neilsen-massey... it tastes great and does not contain any alcohol. I also buy their vanilla pods - expensive, but really good.
MadelynRodriguez at 12:29PM on 10/12/08
@suegsf, that's the stuff. My understanding was that the vanilla packaged for sale in the US was safe because it had to follow US rules for content and labeling, but the stuff you might pick up at a Mexican grocer might not be safe, because they don't need to follow our rules. The bottle could mention coumarin or not.
And frankly, I've seen bottles of vanilla that were brought back from Mexico that were obviously re-labeled. It's not hard to do something like that.
I've also heard some people say that since you use so little vanilla, that this isn't an issue, even if it is the bad stuff. But I go through a LOT of vanilla, so I'd prefer not to be using stuff that's proven to be toxic. So I'm curious if the coumarin-vanilla is still prevalent in Mexico, or if anyone knows how to tell which is safe.
dbcurrie at 3:04PM on 10/12/08
@suegsf and dbcurrie - A couple of years ago, my daughter brought us back a pint of Mexican vanilla from a trip to Cozumel. The brand name is "Posa." the label states that it's "pure, natural" and the ingredients list (translated) vanilla, water and alcohol. No mention of coumarin one way or the other. The taste was amazingly crisper than American vanilla, but once we can out of it - didn't take long! - we wanted more. Without paying for a cruise. So... we decided to make our own.
A friend supplied Madagascar Vanilla beans, w/ the stipulation that we'd share. We sliced 7 beans, and used a mixture of 3/4 vodka and 1/4 Southern Comfort. Using a 1/2-gallon Mason jar, we filled it a bit less than the full 1/2 gallon, so we'd have room to agitate it properly. We let it sit in a cellar closet for 3 months, gently shaking it every 2 days. We decant about a pint @ a time, so the rest can keep steeping. It's not quite the same as that Mexican vanilla, but still WAY better than store-bought.
We'll be making more for holiday baking, hot chocolate, etc. This time we'll try using 10 beans, hopefully to make it richer, faster.
Robbo at 8:52PM on 10/12/08
@robbo,
you've inspired me. i've got some vodka and some bourbon hanging around, so i will invest in some good vanilla beans the next time i'm at penzey's.
cybercita at 9:24PM on 10/12/08
Mexican vanilla is soooo good, in anything.
lambowner at 4:35PM on 10/13/08
@cybercita - Remember to experiment w/ the # of beans you use. Elise's post @ Simply Recipes http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/007340how_to_make_vanilla_extract.php shows her method. Good luck, and please report back w/ your results (proportions used, type of beans used, etc.).
:-}
Robbo at 4:46PM on 10/13/08