![]() ![]() “Pure vanilla extract” and “natural vanilla extract” are not one and the same. What’s the Difference between “Pure Vanilla Extract” and “Natural Vanilla Extract?” The best pure vanilla extracts contain over 200 flavor and aroma compounds! To be considered a “pure vanilla extract,” it needs a minimum of 35 percent alcohol and at least 100 grams of vanilla beans per liter. Vanilla extract is a fragrant, amber-colored liquid made by steeping vanilla beans in ethyl alcohol and water. (Continue reading below for more on vanilla.) We also partner with like-minded companies and farmer co-ops to support bold projects, like an agricultural training school in Madagascar that offers teenagers from Madagascan vanilla-growing families unique opportunities to improve their livelihoods. Together, we’re actively working to promote a long-term supply of socially, environmentally and economically sustainable vanilla. We also play a leadership role in the spice industry by advocating for better sustainability practices and labor rights in the vanilla supply chain.Īs part of Frontier Co-op, Simply Organic is a founding member of the Sustainable Vanilla Initiative, whose members include other companies like ours. To better support organic vanilla farmers, Simply Organic develops relationships with farmer co-ops - some we’ve worked with for more than a decade. Creating a Sustainable Future for Vanilla Farmers Taken on the day the training center opened in October 2019. What’s more, a complicated supply chain, thieves, extreme price volatility and competition from imitation products pose serious threats to small family farms where most vanilla is grown.Īs a home cook, you can support the organic vanilla farming community by committing to using real, responsibly-sourced vanilla whenever possible. In Madagascar, environmental threats like cyclones make farming vanilla a risky venture. The challenges to growing, harvesting and curing vanilla go beyond labor intensity. This process is exhaustive - but every step is important for ensuring a potent, quality product. Once the beans are carefully picked, it can take up to nine months of curing, sweating, drying and conditioning for them to reach a buttery-smooth texture and mature black color. Vanilla cultivation is a time-intensive artform. Quick Fact: “Bourbon” vanilla has nothing to do with whiskey! Instead, it gets its name from the Ile de Bourbon, an island off the coast of Madagascar where this species was introduced in the 19 th century. Hand-pollination is tricky business, and it can take years of experience to master this skill. The part of vanilla we use - the bean or pod - grows on climbing vines on farms where they are painstakingly pollinized and harvested by hand. The vanilla used in extracts and flavorings comes from the beans of the flowering orchid Vanilla planifolia.īourbon vanilla (the kind grown in Madagascar) has a rich, creamy and sweet profile, and is bursting with seeds high in vanillin - the organic compound that gives it its classic flavor. ![]() Nearly 80 percent of the world’s vanilla supply is grown in Madagascar, a biodiversity hotspot known for its rare and unique wildlife. Straight from the Source - Where Does Real Vanilla Come From? ![]() So where exactly does vanilla come from? And how can you ensure you’re getting a quality product when there are so many options (and imitators) to choose from? And read your labels carefully: some products also tout themselves as “all-natural,” but include genetically modified ingredients. In Madagascar, where Simply Organic vanilla is grown, organic vanilla accounts for less than 15% of the total vanilla supply. ![]() Depending on where the beans come from, it can impart floral or fruity notes, creaminess or even hints of smoke.īut not all vanilla is created equal - especially when it comes to purity. On its own, organic vanilla has a complex and expressive flavor with an equally lovable aroma. You can have vanilla without chocolate - but without vanilla, chocolate ice cream, pudding or cake wouldn’t have the same drool-worthy OOMPH that makes them so irresistible. Just how salt enhances other flavors, vanilla gives sweet, rich or fatty ingredients added depth and dimension. Organic vanilla’s magic works by bringing out the best in your other ingredients. But have you ever wondered where it comes from?ĭive into our Guide to discover the extraordinary origins of this transformative ingredient - and learn how to select the right product for your baking stash. Vanilla is a cooking staple found in nearly every kitchen. ![]()
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