Suggested uses

Basic prep

Storage & handling

Store in a dry, cool place.

Ingredients

Water, organic ethyl alcohol, extractives of organic vanilla beans.

Organic Bourbon Vanilla Extract is produced in Madagascar and neighboring islands in the southwestern Indian Ocean, as well as Indonesia. It is made from the richly fragrant seed pods-or "vanilla beans"-of the flat-leaved vanilla orchid (Vanilla planifolia). The name comes, not from the spirit used to make the extract, but from the former name of the island Réunion, Île Bourbon. The second most expensive spice in the world, after saffron, vanilla is prized in both the culinary and perfuming industries for its rich, mouthwatering fragrance.

Vanilla beans are the seed of the climbing vanilla orchid, originally from Southern Mexico. When Spanish explorers arrived in Central America, the Mayans and Aztecs were already using vanilla as a flavoring agent for their royal chocolate drinks. Via Spanish trading ships, these beans eventually found their way to several other tropical regions, including Madagascar, Papua New Guinea and French Polynesia. Vanilla beans are green when harvested and become black due to the lengthy fermentation process, but remain soft and flexible.

Vanilla Extract is the most common form of vanilla, and is made by macerating chopped beans in an alcohol-water solution in order to extract the flavor. The mixture is then aged for several months. The extract is a dark brown liquid that has all the flavor of the vanilla bean, but it is easier to use for many home cooks.

It is estimated that 95% of the vanilla products in the world are made with imitation vanilla, rather than the superior natural vanilla extract. Take one whiff of this all-natural Organic Bourbon Vanilla Extract, and you'll immediately notice the difference. Vanilla is mainly used in baking and pastry applications, where it is an indispensible flavoring agent in cakes, cookies, custards, ice cream, candies and more. However, in small amounts it also marries well with savory ingredients and proteins such as lobster, pork, duck and foie gras.