Tag: Vanilla

Vanilla Beans: Look for plump, shiny vanilla beans, and stay away from those that look dry. To test the quality of the beans, shake the bottle when you’re at the store. If the beans clink inside, it means they’re dry. Vanilla Extract: Check the label of the vanilla extract you’re buying. How is vanilla sold? […]

Vanilla beans, paste, sugar, and powder will last a while as well—one to two years for beans and two to three years for the rest. The key is storing them in a dry, cool part of your pantry, out of light. But if a bean has dried out or is no longer fragrant, toss it […]

The Traditional Mexican vanilla can be used for anything that calls for vanilla; anything from french toast, smoothies, homemade ice cream, whip cream, cookies, cakes, oatmeal, etc, etc. The primary difference between the Traditional and the Pure is the amount of alcohol in the vanilla. What did the Aztecs use vanilla for? When the Aztecs […]

vanilla orchid. The vanilla orchid (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) originated in Mexico and, for centuries, was the exclusive secret of the native Totonac Indians who were later conquered by the Aztecs. What plant gives you vanilla? Vanilla planifoliaGrowing a Vanilla Bean Plant – The Coveted Culinary Spice. Vanilla, or Vanilla planifolia, is a vining orchid native […]

Mexico – The Birthplace of Vanilla The vanilla orchid (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) originated in Mexico and, for centuries, was the exclusive secret of the native Totonac Indians who were later conquered by the Aztecs. What is the origin of vanilla extract? Vanilla is a native of South and Central America and the Caribbean; and the […]

Aztecs from the central highlands of Mexico invaded the Totonacs in 1427, developed a taste for the vanilla pods, and began using vanilla to flavor their foods and drinks, often mixing it with cocoa in a drink called “xocolatl” that later inspired modern hot chocolate. How was vanilla originated? Vanilla is a native of South […]

1847. History Notes Vanilla Extract was invented in 1847. In the mid-1800s, Vanilla plantations were established in Indonesia and other tropical countries such as Madagascar. When was vanilla extract first made? The first synthetic vanilla extract was created in 1858 by a French chemist named Charles Morin, who experimented with artificial means for producing vanillin. […]

The benefits of vanilla oil are delivered by smell or into the bloodstream through skin absorption. Vanilla is effective in suppressing depression because vanilla’s uplifting fragrance stimulates a part of your brain, called olfactory, which is responsible for regulating mood. How does vanilla make you feel? Whether you’re feeling a bout of the Monday blues […]

Real vanilla beans also cost about $3-4 each. What is the current price of vanilla beans? UGANDA GOLDTM – Ultra Premium Vanilla Beans – Super Long Price USD Tahitian Gourmet Premium Vanilla Beans (PNG) – Super Long Price USD Tahitensis Gourmet Premium Vanilla Beans (PNG) – Super Long – 3-4 lbs. $169.99/lb. Tahitensis Gourmet Premium […]

80 proof Alcohol: Vanilla extract is most commonly made from vodka, but you can use bourbon, brandy, or rum instead. I usually use vodka, but the one bottle of bourbon vanilla I made 7 months ago is DIVINE. No need to splurge on expensive alcohol. What kind of alcohol is in vanilla extract? To be […]

A healthy vine should produce about 50 to 100 beans per year, but growers are careful to pollinate only five or six flowers from the 20 on each raceme. The first flowers that open per vine should be pollinated, so the beans are similar in age. These agronomic practices facilitate harvest and increases bean quality. […]

The vanilla pod, or vanilla bean, known visually as a long shriveled black bean, is the fruit product of the vanilla orchid. The seeds found inside of the dried pod are used for edible vanilla flavoring and in extracts, as are the pods themselves when ground into a powder. Are vanilla seeds poisonous? The bean […]

Vanilla plants won’t flower well if they only climb upwards and if they do, the flowers will be out of reach. Looped, healthy vines from mature plants can be tipped (apex removed) to induce flowering. How do you force vanilla to bloom? Vanilla orchids require fifty percent humidity in order to bloom. If the air […]

Common Issues with Vanilla Orchids Root or basal rot is a common issue with specimens sat in too moist or waterlogged soil for long periods. Symptoms include rapidly yellowing leaves, stunted growth and a rotten brown base. Take the plant out of the pot and inspect health below the soil line. Why is my vanilla […]

Vanilla beans are not toxic. Tonka beans have coumarin, which is in various other foods as well, and coumarin can be toxic depending on the dose, but if you’re healthy, Tonka beans sprinkled on food won’t kill you. Is vanilla pod poisonous? The bean can be used to make flavoring very similar to vanilla. Sadly […]

Vanilla is used in lots of our favourite foods and cosmetics because it tastes and smells so good! And you guessed it; the vanilla orchid, which produces these powerful little vanilla pods, grows in rainforests too. Where does vanilla originally come from? Vanilla is a native of South and Central America and the Caribbean; and […]

Rainforest Biome. Originally native to Central America, vanilla is now cultivated and exported mainly from Madagascar, Mexico, Reunion, Tahiti and Indonesia. You can find it growing up wooden supports in the Spice Exhibit in our Rainforest Biome. Where is vanilla grown the most? MadagascarThe biggest producer of vanilla is Madagascar (2900 tons), followed by Indonesia […]

Shelf Life Vanilla sugar is actually a pretty simple one, in that it should theoretically never go “bad.” Neither sugar nor vanilla contains any ingredients that will go rancid or bad, in a traditional sense, so if nothing else creeps into your storage container then you should be safe to eat vanilla sugar forever! How […]

brown. The liquid should be dark golden or brown. The darker the color, the stronger the vanilla flavor. If you’ve left the vanilla seeds in the bean, there should be lots of little flecks that have settled to the bottom of the jar. When you shake it, the extract should look almost opaque. How dark […]

How Long Does Vanilla Extract Last Pantry Pure vanilla extract (unopened or opened) Stays fine indefinitely Imitation vanilla extract (unopened or opened) Best-by + 6 – 12 months Can you get sick from expired vanilla extract? While it is unlikely that you will get sick from expired vanilla extract, if you believe it has gone […]