Vanilla is both unassuming, yet utterly magical. As a child, I remember believing that vanilla was a plain or even boring flavor. Now as an adult, I realize that nothing could be further from the truth. With its delicate and creamy flavor, vanilla is not only enchanting on its own, but it also has the power to draw out and enhance any other flavor that it is paired with. I find myself adding vanilla extract to matcha, hot cocoa, coffee, moon milk, oatmeal, chia pudding, and, of course, almost all my baking projects. With such a variety of uses, it is no wonder that I like to make sure that vanilla extract is well-stocked in my cupboard, which is why I have taken to crafting my own in larger batches. Vanilla extract is surprisingly easy to make at home—all you need is whole vanilla beans, alcohol, and a jar. It also makes an awesome DIY gift!
Vanilla pods are the fruit of a stunning orchid (Vanilla planifolia). The bulk of the world's supply of vanilla is provided by only a handful of countries (primarily India, Madagascar, Mexico, and Tahiti.) The ephemeral vanilla flowers open for just one day and each must be carefully hand-pollinated. There’s only one bee known to pollinate them in the wild, and hand pollination has proven to be more reliable.
After nine months on the vine, the green vanilla orchid fruits are picked, graded by size, and bundled. At this point, they don't yet have that amazing vanilla scent or flavor we all love. The bundled beans are submerged in boiling water to stop the ripening process and start the natural production of vanillin. The blanched beans are then wrapped in cloth and placed in wooden crates to sweat. Each day for three weeks, they are removed, unwrapped, and placed in the sun for several hours. After this curing process, the beans become wonderfully fragrant and turn black in color. The pods are then placed on racks in a well-ventilated room for up to 35 days. From there, the beans are wrapped and crated for an additional two months to finish curing. The result—a high-quality vanilla bean that is fragrant and delicious.
Once we realize how much goes into bringing this incredible plant to our spice racks, we can be more appreciative of the hard work that goes into getting it there. We can further understand that in order for this to be ethical and sustainable, we must fairly compensate the farm workers who do all of this work. The organic vanilla beans offered by Mountain Rose Herbs are Fair Trade Certified and are grown, harvested, and cured by passionate and highly skilled farmers.
Ingredients
Directions
Pro Tips
You may also be interested in:
Topics: Culinary, Herbal Gift Ideas, Our Farms, Recipes, Specialty Ingredients
Maia was born and raised in Eugene Oregon. An avid nature and animal lover, when she is not snapping blog photos for Mountain Rose; you can find her romping around in the woods with her pup, having impromptu dance parties in her living room, experimenting in the kitchen, and looking for new sci-fi and fantasy stories to dive into.
Vanilla is both unassuming, yet utterly magical. As a child, I remember believing that vanilla was a plain or even boring flavor. Now as an adult, I realize that nothing could be further from the truth. With its delicate and creamy flavor, vanilla is not only enchanting on its own, but it also has the power to draw out and enhance any other flavor that it is paired with. I find myself adding vanilla extract to matcha, hot cocoa, coffee, moon milk, oatmeal, chia pudding, and, of course, almost all my baking projects. With such a variety of uses, it is no wonder that I like to make sure that vanilla extract is well-stocked in my cupboard, which is why I have taken to crafting my own in larger batches. Vanilla extract is surprisingly easy to make at home—all you need is whole vanilla beans, alcohol, and a jar. It also makes an awesome DIY gift!
Vanilla pods are the fruit of a stunning orchid (Vanilla planifolia). The bulk of the world's supply of vanilla is provided by only a handful of countries (primarily India, Madagascar, Mexico, and Tahiti.) The ephemeral vanilla flowers open for just one day and each must be carefully hand-pollinated. There’s only one bee known to pollinate them in the wild, and hand pollination has proven to be more reliable.
After nine months on the vine, the green vanilla orchid fruits are picked, graded by size, and bundled. At this point, they don't yet have that amazing vanilla scent or flavor we all love. The bundled beans are submerged in boiling water to stop the ripening process and start the natural production of vanillin. The blanched beans are then wrapped in cloth and placed in wooden crates to sweat. Each day for three weeks, they are removed, unwrapped, and placed in the sun for several hours. After this curing process, the beans become wonderfully fragrant and turn black in color. The pods are then placed on racks in a well-ventilated room for up to 35 days. From there, the beans are wrapped and crated for an additional two months to finish curing. The result—a high-quality vanilla bean that is fragrant and delicious.
Once we realize how much goes into bringing this incredible plant to our spice racks, we can be more appreciative of the hard work that goes into getting it there. We can further understand that in order for this to be ethical and sustainable, we must fairly compensate the farm workers who do all of this work. The organic vanilla beans offered by Mountain Rose Herbs are Fair Trade Certified and are grown, harvested, and cured by passionate and highly skilled farmers.
Ingredients
Directions
Pro Tips
You may also be interested in:
Topics: Culinary, Herbal Gift Ideas, Our Farms, Recipes, Specialty Ingredients
Maia was born and raised in Eugene Oregon. An avid nature and animal lover, when she is not snapping blog photos for Mountain Rose; you can find her romping around in the woods with her pup, having impromptu dance parties in her living room, experimenting in the kitchen, and looking for new sci-fi and fantasy stories to dive into.
