All About Vanilla!

As those of you who know me well have experienced, I do tend to ramble on a bit about baking.  One of the things I like to tell people about is genuine, high quality vanilla and the difference it will make in your baking.  I found this article on the King Arthur Flour site and on the back of the vanilla sampler from Nielsen-Massey I picked up today from Williams-Sonoma.  And, I thought I would share it with you all:

Vanilla, one of our favorite baking flavors, is anything but plain. Vanilla’s exotic yet comforting combination of floral and spice is sought after by cooks worldwide. Pure vanilla (synthetic versions just don’t compare) is derived from the vanilla bean, fruit of an orchid plant.  Vanilla originated in Mexico and was brought to Europe about 1520 by the explorer Cortez.

Today, most of the world’s vanilla comes from Madagascar and the surrounding Bourbon Islands, off the coast of Africa. Smooth, mellow Madagascar Bourbon vanilla is an all-purpose vanilla, ideal in everything from cookies and sticky buns to cake and ice cream. It is considered to be the highest quality pure vanilla available.  It takes the name "Bourbon" not from Kentucky Whiskey, but from the French Bourbon court that ruled Madagascar in the 1800's.  Mexican vanilla, derived from a thicker and darker bean, has a stronger, spicier taste. It pairs well with cinnamon and other assertive flavors.  Beware of vanillas claiming to be from Mexico.  You want to buy only from a reputable dealer of Mexican vanilla as they have found arsenic in quite a few and many that were advertised as genuine were in fact imitation vanilla.  Tahitian vanilla is less intensely flavored but known for it's aromatic, fruity, cherry-like flavor and ideal for light, fruit-based desserts and sauces.  This is a favorite of pastry chefs and performs best when used in low or no-heat applications as it's delicate flavor can become weakened in the presence of high heat.  Also ideal for refrigerated and frozen treats, cream fillings, smoothies and shakes.

While pure vanilla extract is familiar to bakers everywhere, vanilla comes in other forms as well, including vanilla paste, a thickened vanilla extract; and vanilla bean crush, an extract with crushed pods and seeds, which makes elegant-looking ice cream, whipped cream, and frosting, with its dark flecks of bean.

Seeds scraped from the interior of soft whole vanilla beans impart pleasingly strong flavor when steeped in custard, milk, cream, or syrup. Vanilla powder, made by grinding dried whole beans, offers robust flavor in hot drinks. And delicately infused vanilla sugar is a distinctive condiment.