Pure vanilla extract is made from vanilla beans.
Vanilla is the most widely used flavoring in baking and is the second most expensive spice in the world. Vanilla extract is made from the , which is the pod of a tropical orchid. Cooks and bakers rely on vanilla extract to impart delicious vanilla flavor to their foods.
Types of Vanilla Beans
The three main types of beans are Madagascar, which accounts for 70 to 80 percent of the world's crop; Mexican, a bean with smooth flavor and strong fragrance; and Tahitian, which is especially useful for perfume making.
Making Vanilla Extract
Steeping vanilla beans in a mixture of water and alcohol for several months develops the natural, pure vanilla extract. Manufacturers sometimes add sugar. This produces a highly scented, clear, dark liquid. Artificial vanilla extract comes from synthetic vanilla found in certain conifers or from coal extracts.
Three Fun Facts
The climate and soil in which the vanilla bean is grown affect its flavor.
Vanilla was once so rare and expensive that only royalty could afford it.
One whole vanilla bean will produce 2 to 3 tsp. of vanilla extract.
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