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

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