If you choose to use the imitation vanilla you will need to experiment to determine how strong the imitation vanillin is because if, in fact, it is “5 x extract” the chemicals may overpower your recipe. Madagascar and its surrounding islands have always been the world’s dominant supplier of vanilla, accounting for roughly 80 per cent of the global supply of the beans.

While they may not have been the first to use vanilla in their cuisine, they were the first people to cultivate it. Some labels even say, “This product does not contain coumarin”, but unfortunately, food labeling is not strictly controlled or enforced in Mexico, so you can’t be sure of what’s actually lurking inside. Smell the extracts as if you are smelling a fine wine by moving it back and forth in front of your nose. It is sweet and woodsy, with a deep creamy and spicy-sweet flavor that is similar to clove or nutmeg that can be added to your cocktails or brownies. I have made this recipe about a million times, and often just omit the vanilla when I don’t have a vanilla pod handy, so you can make it even if you don’t choose to add vanilla.

Although they don’t indicate how much sugar is in the extract, being the second ingredient indicates that it has a fair amount of sugar. Desserts: Use Mexican vanilla extract in desserts like puddings, custards, ice creams, and creamy desserts. A cornerstone in many cherished recipes, this extract encapsulates the spirit of a nation where food is more than sustenance; it's an art form, a communal bond, and a timeless tradition. I opened the bottle of your vanilla extract last weekend to bake some cookies and the difference in taste is extraordinary! It takes a plantation of vanilla orchids 4 to 5 years to get up and running, so there’s no quick solution.

Our Traditional Mexican Vanilla is a top pick of Traditional Home Magazine’s Cooking School, and was also featured on Martha Stewart’s Cup Cake Show. Embracing the Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract is akin to indulging in a culinary waltz, where each note is harmonious, deep, and resonant.

But, even after that, there are some differences in the cultivation, harvest, and curing processes of Mexican vanilla extract that make it different than the rest. The goal has been to assist people in the industrialized world understand and appreciate tropical products we’ve had available for a long time but don’t know the story behind them. Nielsen's proprietary cold extraction process gently draws out and preserves the vanilla’s more than 300 flavor compounds, resulting in one of the world’s most exceptional vanillas. Over the course of time, it has developed a mellow, creamy, and complex vanilla flavor with added nuance, depth, and earthy base notes imparted from the oak cask.

In fact, even the few small companies that do make pure vanilla are up against the wall now because the Mexican vanilla industry is barely surviving due to the changing climate and other problems.

Personally, I prefer the best quality extracts because I believe that to produce excellent prepared food, whether it’s sweet or savory, baked, cooked or raw, it’s important to use the cleanest, freshest ingredients. Veracruz, the birthplace of vainilla: Papantla, a town in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, is considered the birthplace of vanilla. The lack of sugar is off-putting for some people as it has a stronger smell of alcohol and doesn’t taste sweet. The technique used for making pure extracts is a percolation process, not unlike the old coffee percolators so popular in the 1940s and 50s, except that the extracts are made in large metal drums. For more vanilla history, check out the Hungry for History podcast episode, Vanilla: The Edible Orchid.