16/09/2026
Did you know? ……PURE VANILLA HAS OVER 500 COMPONENTS THAT MAKE UP ITS FRAGRANCE
Since I just posted my blog below about Vanilla extract. I also offer Vanilla Extract on my website. A customer favorite especially in the fall when baking is in full swing is my REAL homemade vanilla extract and it comes in Madagascar, Mexican and Tahitian. It's made with the real deal! Top of the shelf 190 Proof Everclear, Vodka, Rum, and Wh***ey! My vanilla extract is aged over 18-24 months and is wax sealed in 8oz bottles. What you get will be in the first photo below.
I have tried all sorts of vodkas , bourbons , whiskeys over the years to perfect a desirable cocktail of just the right combination to make Vanilla extract. When making your own it’s very important to keep good records of what you have used and the amounts. The Vanilla bean itself is very expensive to buy but a little bean goes a long way ! PLEASE NOTE >>>>In Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America, the labels mean nothing: Pure Vanilla Extract is EXPENSIVE!!
Make certain it's pure vanilla - and don't be fooled by a Mexican label!
Do not purchase vanilla extract with a Mexican label, even from a specialty food store or online! Mexican vanilla that is produced by a reputable American company is pure vanilla extract made from Mexican beans. Unfortunately, some specialty food stores carry Mexican vanilla made in Mexico. While it is possible that it is pure vanilla, the chances are more than 99% that it is NOT pure. Mexico once produced beautiful vanilla beans but the vanilla industry is now almost gone. 100 percent of so-called extracts made there, as well as in the Caribbean and in Latin America, are imitation. They may smell good because they don't contain alcohol (or contain only 2% alcohol) but they are made from chemicals and are not pure vanilla.
A common misconception exists about vanilla from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. People rave to me about the fabulous deal they got on a giant bottle of vanilla extract in Mexico, Haiti, Guadeloupe, ETC. It has such a unique flavor and it's stronger than any vanilla they've ever used. And wow, was it inexpensive!
Well, sorry folks, it isn't pure vanilla extract! In fact, the cheap, dark (or clear) product in the big bottle is not vanilla at all. It is imitation vanilla with unknown ingredients! Because vanilla originally came from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, and because, at one time Mexico produced the world's finest pure vanilla, it would seem plausible that it would still be true. In fact, more than 99% of all of the so-called vanilla extract bought in retail venues in Latin America is imitation vanilla.
So Why do they produce imitation and not pure vanilla? Several reasons. Read on:
Mexico had the monopoly on vanilla production until the latter part of the 19th century and the vanilla-growing region on the Gulf of Mexico was very prosperous. In the late 1800s, the French invested heavily in vanilla plantations in Reunion, the Comoro Islands, and later, Madagascar, and by the early 20th century these regions gained control of the world vanilla market. In the early 20th century, the Mexican Revolution raged throughout the country, and for a while, was especially fierce on the Gulf Coast of Mexico. The Mexican industry had to shut down for several years due to the war, and starting up production once the war ended, took time. Then the petroleum companies on the Gulf stripped the natural forests, making vanilla growing very difficult and, over time, it made the area increasingly hotter and less humid.. Mexico's share of the world's vanilla supply took a nose dive, but its reputation remained intact for decades.
In the 188os the first synthetic vanillas came from Germany, providing a cheaper alternative to natural vanilla. Soon it was discovered that synthetic vanillin could be made from paper pulp and coal tar. Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean began selling cheap synthetic vanillas hoping to cash in on Mexico's vibrant history as the finest vanilla beans in the world. It worked.
By adding coumarin to synthetic vanillin, the flavor was a little more like pure vanilla. Coumarin can be toxic, especially to the liver!
We've outlawed its use in the United States since the 1950s. While most labels say,
"No Coumarin," don't count on it!
Although there are label laws in Mexico they aren't enforced; in some of the other countries there are no restrictions. So, don't believe that the label gives you an accurate account of the ingredients. Needless to say, synthetic vanillas are a big industry as most tourists have no idea they are being duped and it's an easy product to sell.
Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean are poor countries and pure vanilla is expensive. Most Mexicans buy imitation vanilla too. If tourists are willing to buy the cheap imitations, all the better for the vendors.
Clear vanilla is pure, synthetic vanillin made by chemists. It's often called "crystal vanilla." You can buy it in the US for about the same price.
Dark and murky is synthetic vanillin, most likely ethyl vanillin derived from coal tar. It may also be dark because it contains red dye or it may contain caramel coloring.
Why does it smell so good? It has no alcohol in it (or possibly 2% as a stabilizer). It may have a high concentration of synthetic vanillin, which makes it smell intensely like vanilla. This is because both natural and imitation vanillin are an important part of the vanilla bouquet. Imitation vanillin is only one fragrance. Pure vanilla has over 500 organic components that make up its fragrance.
There are some vanilla-vanillin blends and some cheap pure vanilla extracts that contain 25% alcohol, but they aren't worth buying either.
How much did you pay for it? This is the biggest tip-off. If it's in a big bottle and you paid $20.00 or less, it's not vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract usually costs more in Mexico than here in the US.
Don't waste your money or endanger your health. If you want synthetic, buy it in the States. It's the same price as you'd pay in Mexico but American synthetics aren't adulterated with dangerous additives. If you want pure Mexican vanilla extract, buy it from a reputable US company that made it using Mexican vanilla beans. If you want Pure Vanilla extract make it yourself. It’s very simple the hardest part …is the WAIT 😊
I have so much to say about Vanilla. It’s used in so much and in many foods and drinks that you wouldn’t even think of.…..
