I recently moved into a new (to me) house – a cute ranch with a cozy kitchen. Two weeks ago my mom helped me unpack my kitchen items by finding a home in the bare shelves for dry food ingredients, canned goods, spices, and oils. I didn’t pay attention to where she put what, so I’ve slowly been finding what I need. This morning, however, I discovered I have no vanilla. Horror!

I went in search of vanilla because a spider sat so calmly in my sink. I recently read on Rodelle’s FAQ that spiders and bugs dislike the scent of vanilla. Here was my chance to test-drive such a concept. Amidst my sorrow to find the cupboard void of vanilla, I pondered how the extract became such a useful tool – and who made this discovery? If vanilla could be used to ward off the creepy-crawlies, what else could it do? I consulted The Google (even digital oracles deserve reverence!) and was delighted to find a wide range of remarkable vanilla uses and products. I’ve listed my top five discoveries in order of my level of fascination (I’ll be interested to hear what you all think as well!):

5. Vanilla as Perfume Ingredient: Lavanila founders Danielle Raynor and Laura Girolamo wanted to create a luxury fragrance that was “100% Healthy.” Vanilla fit the bill and became the beauty company’s anchor scent. One of their fragrances pairs vanilla with grapefruit. The combination sounds perfect. Time to track down a Lavanila purveyor!

4. Vanilla as Household Odor Eater: Got a stinky vacuum cleaner? Want to get rid of bugs while enhancing the smell of your living room? Care to neutralize paint odor? Get out the vanilla extract or a few beans and fend off those nasty aromas with a quick vanilla fix.

3. Vanilla as Vodka Infuser: Grey Goose gets the recommend from vanilla vodka fans for being the only distiller using real vanilla. Chowhound had many a mixed drink suggestion for a woman like me? who received a bottle of the GGVV and was dismayed to find she didn’t know how to put the spirits to good work. I’m now intrigued by the “vanilla turnover shots.”

2. Vanilla as Suggested Tooth Ache Cure: The homeopathic medicinal properties of vanilla are stunning – from treating weight loss  and overcoming sleep issues (might have to write more later about Tylenol PM Golden Vanilla in liquid form…) to curing a tooth ache. Next time your tooth throbs, try the remedy that eHow writer Rachel Asher recommends.

1. Vanilla as Possible Blood Disease Warrior: Pharmaceutical company Medinox has discovered that vanillin (the most powerful of vanilla’s compounds) can fight sickle cell anemia – but only in a test tube (our digestive enzymes destroy vanillin). The company is currently experimenting with a modified form of vanillin – MX-1529 – that has shown promising results.

Fascinating stuff, eh? So now that I’ve scoured the Internet in search of all things vanilla, I’m curious to know what fabulous tricks and tips you’ve discovered with your Rodelle vanilla extract and beans? Share on!

Thanks to Darwin Bell, Jon Rawlinson, and assbach for their excellent photos.

In search of vanilla,

Carol

If you think back to your childhood days, what frequently repeated phrase comes to mind?

From a young age, my parents always told me to “do my best”.  Occasionally, the adage would lengthen slightly to become “do your best, no matter where you are or what you do.”  Although one small individual doing her personal best may not seem newsworthy, when a company does their best it can bring remarkable change to people’s lives.

Rodelle not only has a passion for providing high quality vanilla beans and extract, but also a commitment to making their vanilla beans the right beans to choose.  Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Joe Basta, Rodelle’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Joe talked to me about the environmental and social possibilities that working with vanilla offers. For example, even though vanilla beans make a long trip from orchids growing in Madagascar or Uganda to a small bottle in your pantry, Rodelle considers the environmental and social impacts along the way.  Internationally, Rodelle supports organizations like Conservation International and Fanamby to promote biodiversity and farmer livelihood in vanilla growing regions.  Locally, Rodelle is powering their new facility mostly through wind energy (a renewable resource) and is a silver level member in the local Climate Wise program.  In a very real and right sense, Rodelle is protecting and preserving the environment along many steps of vanilla’s journey.

Although I had only a vague familiarity with terms like “sustainable” and “social responsibility,” it turns out that things are far more complicated than I had ever imagined.  Rodelle, though, truly makes an effort to not only incorporate green practices, but also give back to the vanilla growers. For example they reinvest part of their profits back into social programs for the growers.  These social programs help address the needs of the area, whether that is through AIDs and Malaria prevention or micro-financing opportunities.

There’s something refreshing about a company who puts into practice advice that every child hears: do your best, make the right decision.  The fact that Rodelle makes these great decisions helps me to make my own.  For example, I know that I want to use good products to make good food for my family and friends; knowing that I’m supporting a company who has a healthy track record of giving back and supporting the growers makes a simple choice like using Rodelle have a long-lasting effect.  Some people call this conscious consumption, but it helps to also consider contextually conscious production.

The deliberate choice to support companies who have this type of global and social awareness can extend a simple act into a far reaching deed.  For example, last weekend I made a batch of pumpkin cream-cheese brownies.  The recipe calls for both baking cocoa and vanilla extract.  Not only do I get to make something that tastes great and brings people I love together, but I’m helping to support Rodelle’s initiatives to give back to the growers and help Conservation International save animals like the Lemur.  Who knew that whipping up a batch of pumpkin brownies could do so much good?

What conscious choice about consumption will you make today? In what ways do you incorporate childhood lessons into your life?

Laura

Which bean has over 250 flavor components, takes 15 months to cure and was cultivated first in the 16th century in Veracruz, Mexico?

Coffee? No. Cocoa? No. Soy? Wrong again. VANILLA.

This week we had the distinct pleasure of talking with Dan Berlin of Rodelle Vanilla about that deceptively simple and ubiquitous baking ingredient we all grew up with, consciously or not –Vanilla. We wanted to know when vanilla was not vanilla, how to tell pure vanilla from imitation vanilla and what was going on with (and therefore into) the bottle. We learned a little about how to extract vanilla at home and a lot about what we need to know as consumers. For example, we were not aware that some imitation vanillas contain ethylvanillin, a petroleum product. They may smell like vanilla, but do not taste the same as pure vanilla extract. Nor were we aware that some of the cheaper forms of vanilla from Mexico contain no vanilla beans at all, using tonka beans (which by the way are illegal in the US), a legume which contains coumarin, a blood thinner which when consumed in large doses can be highly toxic. True traditional Mexican vanilla by the way, is much more extraordinary and expensive, with a wonderful light flavor.

So how can we tell a high quality vanilla? Here are some things we learned from Dan:

1. Pure vanilla extract contains three things – vanilla beans, alcohol and water. If you see caramel color, for example, on the label, this is a clear indicator that you are not looking at pure extract.

2. Vanilla extract can be sweetened either with sugar or corn syrup. Sugar is preferable as it has a cleaner flavor than corn syrup. It doesn’t really make any difference whether it is cane or beet sugar that is used, they have the same effect. You can try this taste test at home = have some sugar, then have some syrup – then write and tell us what you think! It’s a different kind of sweetness (we apologize for any pending toothache!):).

3. To be called vanilla extract, the FDA requires the following –35% alcohol and 13.35 oz of vanilla beans per gallon of alcohol and water.  This is almost a pound of vanilla beans per gallon! These measurements can make “do-it-yourself” vanilla extract difficult to make at home (in terms of strength). Difficult, but not impossible, as a future blog will share with you!

4. If you are using vanilla beans, most of the flavor comes from their oils which give the bean that shiny surface and which are also in the seeds in the center of the bean, so the best way to use a vanilla bean is to slice it length ways, scoop the seeds and use the paste in the middle. If you want to use the whole bean, use it to infuse whatever it is going to go into rather than actually eating the bean (they’re a little like edamame, not so great to chew on the husk!)

5. High quality vanilla beans and extracts can last a long time. As long as the beans are cured and warehoused correctly, they can last up to two years. A properly sealed vanilla bean should last over 2 years depending on moisture content. Once the alcohol is in the extract, it is also very stable (for years) as long as the bottle is closed. So keep that lid on it! If extract is left sitting on the shelf for several months, it’s a good idea to shake the bottle because after time, the sediment falls to the bottom of the bottle and the alcohol is on top. So if you don’t shake it before opening it if it has been left for awhile, all you will smell is alcohol.

So why do we put vanilla in everything? Because of its complexity and its ability to round out other flavors like the green notes of fruit and the harsh notes we find in flavored liquor such as spiced rum! That is also why it is important to seek out pure vanilla extract to gain access to those 250 flavor components which make everything they touch richer, more mellow and sweeter. So the next time you are looking for vanilla, don’t be fooled by the price — pick up the bottle and look at what’s on the label. Look at what is sweetening the vanilla. Sugar is good here! Remember that you don’t need coloring — vanilla beans have a wonderful lustrous dark chocolate color which transfers to the extract. Finally, like most things, if it is cheap, chances are it is not pure; and purity, in the case of vanilla, makes all the difference!

What kinds of vanilla (beans, extract, sugar etc) have you used and why? My French mother-in-law makes a creme anglaise (custard) to die for using vanilla sugars she brings over with her from France. I panic if I go to bake something or make a smoothie and there’s no vanilla in the house! We would love to hear about your life with this pure bean!

With thanks to readontheroad, kern.justin, tauntingpanda and mr.smashy for their wonderful images!

Kirsti

What are some of your family traditions around this Fall season?

It is such a fun time of the year for families, with lots of activities and the anticipation of the coming holidays! Halloween is only a week and a half away.  Costumes and candy are a necessity, of course; but what would Halloween be without a Jack-O-Lantern?

We went to a pumpkin patch last weekend.  It was crowded with people all searching for that perfect gourd while children, looking on the verge of tipping over, ran around carrying bowling ball sized pumpkins.  Even with all the competition, we managed to find (several) ideal pumpkins that would soon become victims of a carving massacre.  Sitting on the floor with my husband, surrounded by the gutted pumpkins, knives and pattern traces, I could feel a tradition in the making.  Although he is much more artistic than I am (all the interesting Jack-O-Lanterns are his), it was fun to work on this together and mutilate/enjoy the iconic image of Halloween.

With all these beautiful pumpkins around me, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try out some new dishes either. This was the first time I’d ever tried baking with fresh pumpkin (although, I did keep a can or two on the side just in case) and it was definitely an experience.  Although not all pumpkins are meant to be baked, I did scrape enough away to whip up some loaves of pumpkin bread and muffins (I used this recipe, although I added Rodelle vanilla extract and omitted the walnuts and frosting), attempted a pumpkin based soup (epic failure on my part, although the recipe looks delicious) and even made treats for the dogs!  After the soup fiasco, I felt the need to redeem myself and tried out a few of Rodelle’s Halloween recipes.  The Candy Corn Rice Crispy treats were so easy that my kitchen confidence was boosted immediately! And Rodelle’s rolled sugar cookies turned out amazingly for such a simple recipe.

Of course, Americans are not the only ones who have a supernatural day approaching.  Falling immediately after America’s Halloween, Dia de los Muertos spans the first two days of November, coinciding with the Catholic celebrations of All Saints Day and All Souls Day.  Dia de los Muertos, celebrated mostly in Mexico, also includes family, friends and paranormal experiences.  People gather together to celebrate and remember loved ones who have passed away, bringing gifts and their favorite foods to grave sites, hoping for a ghostly visit from long gone relatives.  There are several customary foods, like Pan de Muerto, that are made leading up to Dia de los Muertos.

Someday, I hope to get the chance to celebrate Dia de los Muertos.  For now, it’s time to display the Jack-O-Lanterns, hope that they don’t cave in and get ready for Halloween!   Do you create costumes together, carve pumpkins, hang up decorations?  We’d love to hear your stories!

Always,

Laura

I’m a morning person.  Regardless of the time of year, mornings bring the promise of a new day and a moment of calm before the rush of things that need to be done.  I do find fall mornings just a bit more difficult though because the coldness in the air makes it nearly impossible to leave the bed! However, there are a few things that can tempt me away from my cocoon of warmth.  Perhaps the quickest way to lure me from the blankets is the promise of something hot.  This weekend was especially cold for early October and I needed extra motivation to abandon the warmth. That motivation came in the form of hot chocolate.

I used to use the packets of hot cocoa mix but once I started to make my own, I was hooked.  It’s a simple recipe that I adapted from one I found here but you can also use a divine recipe from Rodelle, available here!

·         1/3 cup cocoa powder
·         ¼ cup of white sugar (if you use unsweetened cocoa powder, use ½ cup of white sugar)
·         ½ cup of water
·         1 small can (5 oz) of evaporated milk
·         3 ½ cups of milk
·         1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract

Boil the lightly salted water over medium high, then disintegrate the sugar into it.  Turn the heat to low and add the remaining ingredients.  Once you add the cocoa powder and milks, be gentle with the heat so you don’t get that burned flavor.  Using the evaporated milk and vanilla makes it creamy and deep without being too sweet.

Now, hot chocolate is a comfort drink and is meant to be consumed, well, comfortably.  Tiny little teacups are not going to cut it for hot chocolate!  I love those big mugs that can double as a soup bowl (or an ice cream dish!) that I can easily wrap both hands around.  Once I have my mug of hot chocolate in hand, I’m in a much better mood and I am reminded about some of the advantages of cold weather.

Autumn is the season for hot drinks and thick soups.  There are several flavors I associate with the changing colors of leaves: chocolate, pumpkin, cinnamon and apple are the ones that immediately come to mind.  Vanilla is such a complex ingredient, it really enhances these flavors and brings them to the forefront. With holidays looming, there is the chance to bake an amazing array of breads and desserts, combining most, if not all, of these ingredients. So even though I was a little resentful when I first switched off the air conditioning and prepared to turn on the heat, I remember how much I love fall flavors and colors and I look forward to sharing them with you here on this blog.

What’s your favorite hot chocolate recipe for when the temperature drops and you’re trying to warm up your family?

Until next time,

Laura

Thanks cwalker71 for the tree picture!

Since that is the standard opening for most conversations, it seemed like an appropriate way to begin our first blog entry. I am so excited to meet you and glad you’re joining me on this blog journey! Although I’m not sure where we’re going to end up (what fun would that be?), I do at least know where we’re going to start: the kitchen.

I’m in love with food because I have learned that making food can be a statement of love. My grandmother taught me to bake. I remember watching, amazed, as her arthritic hands whipped up a batter with ease. It was difficult for her to turn a doorknob, but she could crack and separate a half a dozen eggs within seconds without breaking the delicate yolk membranes. There was something comforting about being in the kitchen with Grandma Elsie as she hummed (pretty tunelessly) to herself, knowing that out of her tupperwared ingredients she would create something tasty and satisfying. Plus, she would always let me lick the beaters! Even though she is no longer around, my grandmother left a lasting legacy in teaching her grandchildren the simple joy of creating food.

I am not (yet) a great chef. In fact, Julia Child would probably consider killing me a justifiable homicide, arguing it was necessary to prevent me from torturing perfectly good ingredients (someday, I’ll tell y’all about the Great Chicken Catastrophe of 2009). But I’m learning! Now that I’m married and I’m not the only one who has to eat my cooking (and my husband doesn’t consider cold cereal an appealing dinner), I am indeed getting better at cooking, although it is not intuitive for me.

Baking, however, is a completely different story. I love everything about baking: the gloopy feel of the wet and dry ingredients being folded together, the blast of heat from the oven as I open the door to peer inside and the wonderful smell of cookies or breads that infiltrates the house, tempting all who walk in and causing my dogs to sniff hopefully at the air. I bake whenever I can find an excuse. Anniversaries, birthdays, holidays and Tuesdays are all acceptable reasons for baking. Yup, I’m that person: the one who bribes coworkers with muffins or bakes a pie for the friend who’s having a bad day. My grandmother’s famous chocolate chip cookie recipe even got me into grad school and my bread nourished my committee members as they poured over my thesis. Food is central to good relationships!

My favorite ingredient has always been vanilla. The subtlety and the depth of vanilla is amazing, making it my not-so-secret ingredient that I add to almost everything I make. However, until recently, I didn’t know very much about vanilla or how it was produced. So, I’ll end this first blog Letterman-style with five things you may not know about vanilla!

5. Vanilla beans come from the only orchid that produces edible fruit (yes, those extremely beautiful plants that require a lot of tender, loving care).

4. Vanilla has 250 taste components (which is why it is so versatile and complex).

3. Vanilla is THE most labor intensive crop in the world.

2. Rodelle Vanilla was established in 1936 in Denver, Colorado. Here’s a historic picture of the original Rodelle building:

1. Imitation vanilla is not only fake (hence, “imitation”) but it is almost entirely comprised of chemicals that are a by-product of the paper industry!

The more I learn about vanilla, the more excited I am to experiment! The real vanilla bean has all kinds of uses and properties. Over the next few months, we’ll explore and test them right here on this blog.

Until next time,

Laura