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A variety of vanillas Frontier offers top-quality vanilla in a variety of forms for culinary use--beans, powder, extracts and flavors. Vanilla beans If you enjoy the flavor and scent of vanilla, you should try whole vanilla beans, which are richer and more fragrant than extracts. You can infuse the bean in a liquid, like a beverage (hot teas and toddies are perfect) or a syrup. Add a piece of vanilla bean to your coffeemaker to brew a cup of vanilla-flavored coffee. Or, make your own vanilla extract by steeping a bean, sliced lengthwise, in a little brandy, bourbon, or rum for a month or longer. Premium quality vanilla beans have a rich, full aroma and are oily to the touch. They should be pliable enough to bend without breaking, and dark brown (almost black) in color. There are differences in flavor and aroma between vanilla beans, so experiment with both types to see which appeals most to you--or use both varieties, depending on what characteristics you want present in your recipes. Vanilla planifolia , the species of vanilla that includes the vanilla of India, Indonesia, Mexico and Guatemala --as well as the "Bourbon" vanilla--the designation for Vanilla planifolia grown on the islands of Masdagascar, Reunion and the Comoros (the latter two were known as the Bourbon Islands in the early 19th century). This species has a strong vanilla aroma, described as being rich, creamy, sweet, and almost hay-like. These beans have a thicker skin, are longer than the Tahitian bean, and also contain more seeds. There are some general taste differences depending on where the species is grown--Mexican vanilla beans, for example, have a spicy or woody fragrance and a more subtle taste than the more popular Bourbon beans. |
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Tahitian vanilla beans, grown in the South Pacific, are a different species of vanilla-- Vanilla tahitensis . These beans are shorter (about six inches in length), plumper, and contain a higher water and oil content than Vanilla planifolia . Their strong aroma, described as being more fruity and floral, is especially prized by European gourmet cooks. (Frontier offers a wide selection of high quality Bourbon and Tahitian vanilla beans from two-bean tubes to quarter- and one-pound bulk packages.)
Cooking with Vanilla Beans If you've not used vanilla beans previously, one of the first things you should know is that the entire bean pod--not just the pulp and seeds inside--can be used. The pod itself is full of delicious vanilla flavor. Depending on how much flavor you desire, you can either use the entire bean pod or cut off part of the bean. One inch of vanilla bean is approximately equal to one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or flavor. When cutting the vanilla bean open, slice it lengthwise to expose the seeds. Even when using the entire pod in cooking, you should slice it open before adding it to your liquid to expose more of the bean's surface and extract more flavor. Before serving, the bean pod should be removed--although you can scrape the seeds out of the pod and leave them in your recipe, if you wish. |
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Vanilla Bean Storage Because vanilla beans are so full of flavor, they can often be used more than once. Just rinse and dry them, and use again later, or grind them up to add to baked goods or other recipes calling for vanilla. Vanilla beans will keep indefinitely if stored properly in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, or if they are vacuum-packed. While it's important to keep vanilla beans cool to avoid mildewing, they should not be refrigerated or frozen, as this causes them to harden and can also promote the growth of mold. If you're using our high-quality Bourbon beans, you may notice after time that they have developed crystals (it often resembles white fur), an indicator that the beans are high in natural vanillin and of good quality. This is a natural process, and a delicious one, at that. Enjoy the crystals--they're full of flavor! On the other hand, if you notice something dull and flat in color growing on the outside of your bean, or if it smells bad, it may be mildew. Throw mildewed beans away, or they will spread the mildew to the other beans. And, finally, if your vanilla beans have dried out, simply grind them up for use in your recipes or add them to warm liquid to draw out the flavor. (A dry bean pod added to a mug of hot chocolate or a cup of hot tea results in a delicious experience!) vanilla powder, extracts & flavors » What is Vanilla? |
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