How To Make Vanilla

How Vanilla Beans Can Fix Dinner

April 9, 2012 by admin

If your dinner menu is lacking in excitement you could do worse than to turn to vanilla beans. Yes, I do mean vanilla, that favorite of ice cream and other sweet treats.

What many people fail to realize is that vanilla beans are incredible adaptable and can add a spicy kick to your savory dishes. Not the type of kick curry powder can have, but a pleasant, surprising kick that will bring new life to old dishes. Not convinced? Read on.

Vanilla-infused Pork

We all know pork works well with sweet foods; it’s often served with apple sauce after all. You shouldn’t be surprised to hear that it goes very nicely with vanilla beans also.

Add some vanilla powder, made from authentic vanilla beans of course, to a pinch of salt and pepper. This mixture can be used to coat pork chops, which can then be grilled.

The result is a subtle blend of fatty meat and vanilla. Served with potatoes and salad, this is a fine summer evening treat. And yes, the pork can be barbecued if you so desire.

Fish Supper

Vanilla beans can also be used impressively in fish dishes. Here it is more common to add vanilla extract to a sauce that accompanies the fish. Having said that, there is no reason the grilling method, used in our pork suggestion, wouldn’t work also.

Try adding vanilla extract to a white wine sauce and serving with grilled monkfish. This type of sauce is also suited to chicken dishes.

A Vanilla-inspired Side Serving

Finally, for those that like a little something on the side, add vanilla extract to a traditional salad dressing. The taste of vanilla beans will add a kick to this side serving that may give you a new appreciation for the green stuff.

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Using vanilla beans in your food

April 7, 2012 by admin

If you are looking for a way to really spice up your food, then you may want to consider using vanilla beans. A lot of people do not realize just how useful vanilla beans can be in a huge range of foods, but it is up to you to experiment.

However you may not have come across vanilla beans per se before, but perhaps you have used vanilla extract instead. Vanilla extract is fairly similar, obviously it gives the same overall taste and flavoring, but there are certain times when vanilla beans really do the trick where vanilla extract would not, simply because of the overall high quality within any vanilla beans that you use.

The best part about all of this is that you do not even need very much at all. Vanilla in itself is a very strong flavoring, and using pure vanilla beans will ensure that you do not need to use very many at all – the flavor will become apparent in any food which you add it to without you having to use very much at all, helping you to save money in the process.

Obviously you can experiment though. As with any flavoring, some people really prefer it strong and others prefer only a small amount, so it is really up to you to experiment in your cooking and see what you can discover when using your vanilla beans. You do not have to have a huge imagination when it comes to using them, but simply varying how and when you put the beans in can make a massive difference to the taste, as well as making a huge difference simply due to using different amounts of the beans or extract – though in the end it is really up to you to decide.

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Why vanilla quality matters

April 7, 2012 by admin

If you ever use vanilla in your foods, you may be wondering about the line between quality and quantity. There is no doubt that vanilla beans can be expensive if you use them a lot, but cutting down on quality really is not the way to go.

Bourbon Madagascar vanilla beans are some of the highest quality vanilla beans around, and are pretty much one of the few that you should be using if you desire quality in your food. Without the quality that the bourbon Madagascar vanilla beans give, I find that the food I make really isn’t up to scratch, which is a problem if ever entertaining for guests.

It is also a matter of enjoying your food – using vanilla beans is not just a way of masking unpleasant tastes, but a way of improving delicious tastes that are already there. Using poor quality vanilla beans simply does not work to do this, whereas bourbon Madagascar vanilla beans really do the job nicely, and are well worth the money that you spend on them.

But it is really up to you when it comes to purchasing vanilla beans. I tend to be picky when it comes to the taste of vanilla and I want only the best so I can really enjoy the food I make – my kids love it too – but it really is a matter of personal opinion. All vanilla beans are of a fairly good standard, and so should be enjoyed as much as possible by anyone who is a fan of the vanilla taste. Simply experiment as much as possible with different types until you find one which you really like the taste of, and stick with that as much as you can.

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Vanilla extract or vanilla beans?

April 6, 2012 by admin

When it comes to home cooking, if you are at all concerned about the overall quality of your food, you will need to know that the ingredients you use are of high quality as well. A lot of people tend to favor using vanilla in their cooking, and with good reason – vanilla is an incredibly good flavoring for a huge range of dishes, and does not carry anything in the way of negative additives. But what sort of quality should you be looking for in your vanilla flavoring?

Many people are not even aware of the fact that you can get different types of vanilla flavoring – surely all vanilla is the same if it tastes the same? This is not the case though. In general there are two types of vanilla flavoring that you will be working with – vanilla beans and vanilla extract. But what are the differences between these two?

In general, depending on where you look, basic vanilla extract will be cheaper than vanilla beans, simply because the vanilla beans are purer. Vanilla beans also allow quite a degree of customization – you can choose to use whole, half or less of a bean, whereas vanilla extract is less customizable in this way.

This is not necessarily a bad thing though, and if you do not need a high degree of specialism in your cooking then vanilla extract can do just fine and will save you money. If you want a real shot of flavor to your food though, then vanilla beans are probably a safer bet. In general vanilla beans will be of higher quality, leaving you the ability to make really great tasting food simply through adding different numbers of vanilla beans as you see fit in the cooking that you are doing.

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Why shopping online for vanilla is best

April 6, 2012 by admin

There is no better place, I find, than the internet when it comes to food shopping. It was often the case that I would never look online when it came to food – I had the idea of going grocery shopping entrenched in my mind, and this was hard to get rid of. But when it came to saving money I took a good hard look and realized that it was far better to look online for food, simply because I could get it far cheaper.

The same could be said of niche products, such as vanilla beans for my flavorings. I tend to favor bourbon Madagascar vanilla beans, and when purchasing these in the shops it always cost a huge amount. However when I then looked online for the same bourbon Madagascar vanilla beans I found that they were far cheaper – it really surprised me, simply because I had always assumed that they would cost quite a lot for what they were.

But it makes a lot of sense – going online for vanilla beans really is the best way to do it, simply because they can offer such discounts for you. No matter what vanilla beans you personally prefer – bourbon Madagascar vanilla beans or otherwise – you will find that shopping online really is the best way to go. You will not be able to find a better deal anywhere unless you were to drive to a specialist company, but this can be more time and effort than it is worth.

As this is another benefit to looking online for vanilla beans – it saves you time as well as money. Having vanilla beans delivered is far preferable to having to go out for them, and using sites that sell vanilla beans has really helped in making cooking far more affordable – and tasty!

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Keeping eating healthy

April 5, 2012 by admin

The problem with a lot of shop-bought food nowadays is just how little we know about what goes into the products. Even if a loaf of bread looks incredibly fresh and tasty, a lot of the time there are many preservatives and additives which are not good for us, put in in order to increase shelf life.

A lot of people are against this concept however, and as such only consider using organic products and those without flavorings already added. So what do you do if you want to have something more flavorsome? Simply use vanilla beans and vanilla paste.

Vanilla is an incredibly versatile ingredient, and can be used in all manner of different foods. Both savory and sweet can benefit from the appropriate addition of vanilla paste or vanilla beans, simply because it enhances any flavor already there, while adding its own distinctive and wonderful taste to the food.

The best part is, through using vanilla (and vanilla beans in particular), you know exactly what is going into the food. No preservatives or additives that you don’t know about will be in there, vanilla paste is generally a good ingredient to use, and vanilla beans are entirely natural. This means that any food you personally make will be healthy, while tasting wonderful.

This can help if you are attempting to cut down on unhealthy foods or want to lose weight – vanilla beans give a delicious sweet taste, to something as simple as bread if you really felt like experimenting, meaning you can try delicious foods without venturing over to more unhealthy things. Obviously you will still want to stay away from crème caramel and the like, even with vanilla beans the rest can still be unhealthy, but if you carefully use vanilla beans in appropriate foods then you can really stay healthy.

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3 Reasons to Use Pure Vanilla Extract

April 5, 2012 by admin

Pure vanilla extract can taste just as good as the vanilla bean itself. When made correctly that rich flavor and heavenly aroma feels like the real thing. For cooks then, regardless of their status, authentic vanilla extract is a true kitchen gem. Here are three reasons why.

It Tastes Great

Simple but true. The taste of the vanilla bean is almost always captured in a high-quality pure vanilla extract. It can be added to almost any recipe and will enhance the taste of even the simplest of dishes. Using authentic extract is as close to the bean as can be without actually being a whole vanilla bean.

Be wary though, some products packaged as extract are anything but. Examples of synthetic flavorings that contain little or no vanilla are not exactly uncommon.

It’s More Convenience than Whole Vanilla Beans

When you’re in a rush, the last thing you need to be doing is fiddling about with a vanilla bean. They can be messy, finicky, and most of all, impractical. Having a bottle or jar of vanilla extract makes it much easier to reach for and add to your recipe.

Non-pure Vanilla Extract May Be Dangerous

Recent investigations have shown that some so-called pure extracts are actually dangerous. A number sampled in Mexico not only lacked any vanilla bean content but could actually be harmful.

Certain Mexican extracts are made with the Tonka bean (in place of vanilla). Whilst it may smell and taste similar, it most certainly isn’t vanilla. And what’s more, Tonka contains Coumarin, a chemical related to Warfarin, which can lead to blood-thinning and has been outlawed in the U.S. since 1954.

So if you’re thinking of using the extract of a vanilla bean, be sure to check that it is pure vanilla extract, and not an artificial or dangerous alternative.

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Pure Vanilla Extract from Premium Vanilla Beans

March 10, 2012 by admin

There isn’t any doubt that you pay extra for pure vanilla extract over the imitation extract. But tasting a tiny drop will demonstrate why the price is worthwhile. With pure vanilla extract, you get the flavor of the vanilla beans. With synthesized extract, you get the sour taste of wood.

Most vanilla beans are grown in Madagascar. The plant is originally from Central Mexico. Its first known use was by the traditional Aztecs who used it to flavor a drink like today’s hot cocoa. The rationale that pure vanilla extract is pricey is thanks to the long process needed to crop the vanilla beans and make extract out of them. The bees and hummingbirds that pollinate the vanilla plant only live in Mexico. Therefore all the vanilla in Madagascar must be hand-pollinated by harvesters. Each vine produces around one thousand flowers that have to be pollinated. Thereafter, the flowers progress into green vanilla pods that farmers crop.

Vanilla growers then utilize a special drying process on the pods. Typically, the pods are left out in the sunshine throughout the day to dry and wrapped up in blankets at night. This is done daily until the vanilla beans start to appear like what you could find in the store. The method can take almost half a year.

Eventually, when the vanilla beans are prepared, growers age them for as much as 2 years before they to go to market. That is just the time it requires to get the vanilla beans prepared. It can take another half a year of seeping the vanilla beans in alcohol to make pure vanilla extract. The long process explains the cost of pure vanilla extract. Whether the price is worthwhile to you is dependent on whether you like the flavor of wood in synthetic extract or the pure vanilla bean taste in the genuine vanilla extract.

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Learn To Buy Best Vanilla Beans

March 10, 2012 by admin

If you’d like the best vanilla flavor, you cannot just buy the vanilla beans that you see at your local grocer. Not all vanilla beans are made equal.

They come in 3 differing sorts, which are grown in different regions of the planet. The different varieties don’t taste the same. You also have to know the way to pick out the best vanilla beans for flavor. The vanilla bean is native to central Mexico and it’s still grown there commercially. Mexican beans have a tendency to taste woody or spicy.

Vanilla beans are also grown in Tahiti as a unique species. They have a tendency to be thicker and more oily than other beans. They have also got a unique taste frequently described as fruity. The most well liked and best vanilla beans are Bourbon Madagascar vanilla beans. These were initially grown on Bourbon Island by the French. Today, they’re grown in Madagascar. Bourbon Madagascar vanilla beans are longer and thinner than other kinds.

When choosing which vanilla beans to buy, first glance at the color. You need beans that are dark brown to just about black colored. Next, pick up the best-colored beans to check them. They ought to be a little oily to touch. Toss out any fragile and dry beans. A high quality Bourbon Madagascar vanilla bean should be sufficiently flexible to slowly wrap around your finger. You may be unable to get the very finest vanilla beans at your local chain superstore. For the best vanilla beans, go to a specialty grocer. If you do not have one in your city, online specialty stores can send you the highest-quality and best tasting Bourbon Madagascar vanilla beans that you’ve ever had.

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Here are Some Tips for the Vanilla Beans Novice

March 9, 2012 by admin

Many new cooks might think it menacing to cook with vanilla beans. If you’re comfortable with using spices that seem like powder, what are you about to do with a vanilla bean? It appears to be too big to just chuck in a dish as it is. Nobody wants to get the whole vanilla bean in her bit of a dish. Nevertheless new cooks should not be threatened by the vanilla bean. It can add a wholly new dimension to a chef’s armory.

To use vanilla beans correctly, you need to appreciate them. Most vanilla beans are labeled by the area in which they’re grown, often Mexico, Tahiti or Madagascar. Vanilla beans from Madagascar are usually called Bourbon Madagascar vanilla beans because they were grown by the French on the Island of Bourbon. These premium beans have the fullest flavor and are simple for new cooks to work with. For most recipes, you want to go inside the vanilla bean pod and use the seeds. Stretch a bit of wax paper over your cutting board so you don’t lose any of the seeds. The seeds from the Bourbon Madagascar vanilla beans shouldn’t be wasted. They’re that good.

Cut a tiny slit in the skin of the vanilla bean close to the center. Now, just extend the slit to the fringe of each bean slowly with your knife to bare the seeds. When you have opened up the Bourbon Madagascar vanilla bean, you’ll need to follow the instructions for its use in the recipe you are cooking with. Some recipes need you to conscientiously scrape the seeds out of the pod. For other recipes, you use the entire pod in the dish and permit the vanilla flavor to leak into the food. Be certain to take the pod out before serving. Any way you use the vanilla bean, you will never be sorry that you did.

Category Vanilla Beans | Tags: , tahitian vanilla bean, vanilla bean extract, Vanilla Beans Wholesale, Vanilla Extract | No Comments

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