1. Home
2. Vanilla Facts

Vanilla Facts

1. The vanilla bean is the cured dried fruit of the rare and exotic vanilla orchid (vanilla planifolia) - the only orchid that bears fruit. There is also an even rarer species of vanilla orchid, vanilla tahitensis, with an entirely different flavor profile, that originated in Tahiti and is now grown only there and in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
2. Vanilla is the most labor intensive of all agricultural products. It is the second most expensive spice in the world, next to saffron.
3. The entire process of vanilla cultivation, pollination and harvesting is done by hand, without using machinery, chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
4. Vanilla workers pollinate from 1,000 to 2,000 vanilla orchid flowers per day.
5. When comparing the flavor of vanilla extracts, don't smell or taste it right out of the bottle, you'll get a strong odor and taste associated with the alcohol. Instead, test it by putting a dash in a few ounces of whole (homogenized) milk or on a sugar cube and experience the difference.

   Remember also that a prudent amount of vanilla extract adds flavor and a minimal amount of color to a dish, but too much may impart a bitter, unpleasant taste. Use sparingly for best results.

6. To enhance the vanilla flavor of your favorite recipe, try cooking or baking with our gourmet Uganda Gold (tm) super premium vanilla beans, or our Madagascar Bourbon gourmet vanilla beans or our pure ground Bourbon vanilla powder. They're easy to use and give you the versatility to add more intense vanilla flavor without leaving a bitter or acrid aftertaste.