Vanilla Fast Facts
Madagascar and Indonesia grow the majority of the world's vanilla crop.

The United States is the world's largest consumer of vanilla. Europe is number two, led by France.

The dairy industry uses a large percentage of the world's vanilla in ice creams, yogurt (fresh and frozen), and other flavored dairy products

Why is vanilla so expensive? Simple -- vanilla is the world's most labor-intensive agricultural crop. It takes up to three years after the vines are planted before the first flowers appear. The fruits must then stay on the vines for nine months in order to completely develop.

When vanilla beans are harvested, they don’t have any flavor or fragrance. They develop these characteristics during the curing process.

When vanilla beans are harvested, they’re treated with either hot water or heat, then placed in the sun every day for several weeks or even months. The beans are then sorted by size and quality and stored for one or two months before they reach full flavor and fragrance.
 

Vanilla -- A Specialty of the House
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Types of Vanilla Beans
Vanilla Flavoring: A Brief Overview
Varieties of Pure Vanilla Extracts
Forms of Vanilla



Varieties of Pure Vanilla Extracts
Mexican Vanilla – This is a very smooth, creamy, spicy vanilla.

Bourbon Vanilla – This is the vanilla with which most of us are most familiar. It is the most commonly used variety in extracts.

Indonesian Vanilla -- Indonesian can be much like Bourbon vanilla, or can have very distinctive differences. Frequently Indonesian vanilla is blended with Bourbon vanilla to create a signature flavor.

Tahitian Vanilla -- Tahitian vanilla is sweeter and fruitier and has less natural vanillin than Bourbon and Mexican vanilla. It has a more cherry-like, licorice or raisin taste and a very floral fragrance.