Is vanilla from Mexico good?
Some of the vanilla extracts sold in Mexico are stretched with tonka bean extract, which has a similar taste and aroma to vanilla but contains coumarin which can be toxic to the liver and is banned as a food additive by the US Food & Drug Administration since the 1950s. Most reputable companies avoid this additive.
Is pure vanilla cheap in Mexico?
“Pure vanilla extract usually costs more in Mexico than in the U.S. If it's in a big bottle and you paid $20 or less, it's not pure vanilla extract, no matter what the label says.” Vanilla beans inside dried pods. With that in mind, here are a few unusual recipes that include vanilla.
Why is vanilla cheaper in Mexico?
When it comes to Mexican vanilla extract, it ends up being cheaper because it's often artificial. What is this? The Mexican laws on food labeling are very lax, and as such claiming that an artificial vanilla extract is pure vanilla extract is not punished by law, so many companies do exactly that.
Why is vanilla from Mexico better?
The only significant difference is that in Mexico, the plant is pollinated by a bee and in Madagascar, humans need to pollinate the flower, leading to its higher price. (And despite the name, it is not actually made with bourbon whiskey; instead, “Bourbon” refers to a place where this vanilla was grown.)
What vanilla should I buy in Mexico?
10 Best Mexican Vanilla That You Need To Try In 2022Blue Cattle Truck Trading Co. ... Totonac's Pure Mexican Vanilla Flavoring.Blue Cattle Truck Trading Co. ... La Vencedora Mexican Vanilla Flavoring Extract.Danncy Dark Pure Mexican Vanilla Extract.Danncy Clear Pure Mexican Vanilla Extract.Usumacinta Pure Mexican Vanilla.More items...
Is Mexican vanilla different than regular vanilla?
Pure vanilla is made with the extract of beans from the vanilla plant. Mexican vanilla is frequently made with the extract of beans from the tonka tree, an entirely different plant that belongs to the pea family. Tonka bean extract contains coumarin.
Is Mexican vanilla stronger than regular vanilla?
Mexican Vanilla Its 2 or 4 times stronger and cheaper than other vanillas. The translation of the label says it is made with real vanilla.” We know you don't want to hear this, but it's either completely fake or contains very little real vanilla. Real Mexican Vanilla is rare and expensive.
Which country has the best vanilla?
Madagascar vanillaMadagascar vanilla is known as the best vanilla and what you would think of when you imagine a vanilla bean. It has a heavenly aroma and a rich, creamy vanilla taste. Madagascar vanilla also goes by the name Bourbon vanilla, but it does not have bourbon essentially.
Can I bring vanilla back from Mexico?
No restrictions as long as you are within your allotment. I usually bring back 250ml and 500ml and the issue is never the amount of them as much as the weight as liquids are heavy. Canada and the US are similar on this and I always bring back at least a dozen bottle. I had 20 last time.
How long does pure vanilla from Mexico last?
Shelf Life of Vanilla Extract Type of Vanilla ExtractShelf LifePure5 – 10 yearsArtificial2 – 4 yearsMexican2 – 4 yearsHomemade (pure)5 – 10 yearsFeb 16, 2021
Which vanilla is better Mexican or Madagascar?
Madagascar Bourbon vanilla is the gold standard of vanillas. Mexican vanilla extract is kind of shady, although the beans are great. Tahitian vanilla is mostly about aroma, not actual flavor. The differences among the three types of vanilla will be readily apparent.
How much does pure vanilla cost in Mexico?
A kg of Vanilla in Mexico is around USD 12.95 in Mexico City and Guadalajara, packed and ready for export.
Are vanilla beans cheaper in Mexico?
Pure vanilla is from Mexico - and bottled in Mexico and cheap, well = cheaper than in the US.
Why does Mexican vanilla taste different?
Our Traditional Mexican vanilla is more typical of a really good vanilla that you buy when you visit Mexico. It has 10% alcohol and a small amount (less than 1%) of vanillin (which is a naturally occurring vanillin, not synthetic). The vanillin helps hold the flavor and gives the vanilla a very rich, smooth flavor.
Which country has the best vanilla?
Madagascar vanillaMadagascar vanilla is known as the best vanilla and what you would think of when you imagine a vanilla bean. It has a heavenly aroma and a rich, creamy vanilla taste. Madagascar vanilla also goes by the name Bourbon vanilla, but it does not have bourbon essentially.
noblepa
My wife loves to buy vanilla in Mexico. Most vanilla beans in the world come from the Yucatan peninsula.
Dani24
Please be aware that you may not be getting what you think you're getting when you buy vanilla in Mexico. They don't have the strict laws like we do here. Don't be duped into buying something fake, masquerading as something real.
Stevesan
The best place to buy top quality vanilla is at your local Williams Sonoma store.
Dani24
The best place to buy top quality vanilla is at your local Williams Sonoma store.
coiran
Agreed. I think a lot of people in here have been duped. It may "taste" good. But it doesn't mean that it IS good. For something I'm going to ingest, I'd rather buy it in the US, where at least I stand a better chance of it actually being what it claims to be.
1. Blue Cattle Truck Trading Co. Traditional Mexican Vanilla Extract
Blue Cattle Truck Trading Co. Traditional Mexican Vanilla Extract is hands down the best Mexican vanilla you can find. Please note, Blue Cattle Truck has another variant of Mexican Vanilla labeled ‘ pure ’.
3. Blue Cattle Truck Trading Co. Gourmet Mexican Vanilla Paste
Mexican vanilla doesn’t necessarily have to be a liquid. Blue Cattle Truck sticks by the same Veracruz vanilla beans used in the extract to make this paste. There isn’t much change except for the state of the product. There is no alcohol and no artificial color. And it is gluten-free.
4. La Vencedora Mexican Vanilla Flavoring Extract
La Vencedora’s Mexican vanilla flavoring extract is made of purified water, alcohol, corn syrup, natural dark color, and vanillin. The vanillin is 90% concentrated, making it pure vanilla according to Mexican standards.
5. Danncy Dark Pure Mexican Vanilla Extract
This is either hated or loved. There’s no between. That does put you in a dilemma about selecting this as the next vanilla addition to your cakes or desserts.
6. Danncy Clear Pure Mexican Vanilla Extract
Another Danncy’s Mexican Vanilla product that has been the same for more than 20 years. It has many happy customers who appreciate the consistency maintained in the product’s quality.
7. Usumacinta Pure Mexican Vanilla
Is it even Mexican vanilla ice cream if it doesn’t have the Mexican vanilla touch? You can use a Mexican vanilla bean for that. But for times when you can’t get one, this extract is a perfect substitute.
8. Mexican Vanilla Blend By Molina Vainilla
The brand Molina has been active since 1944 and offers you a good Mexican vanilla flavor at an affordable price range. If your recipe doesn’t need the purest form of vanilla, you can pick this for its smell and taste.
Mexican vanilla was a greatly prized gift to the Europeans
Vanilla beans were first used in early Mesoamerica to perfume altars and its orchids were mixed with other herbs and made into amulets to protect against malevolent spirits.
Madagascar overtakes Mexico in vanilla production
In the late 1890s the French developed plantations in Madagascar. Just as production of vanilla began to take off in Madagascar, the Mexican industry shut down for several years as the Revolution raged throughout the region. This was immediately followed by the development of the petroleum industry in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Mexican industry attempts a comeback
In the early 1990s I began doing research on the Mexican vanilla industry. At this time production was a little more than 150 tons of green beans, or 30 – 35 tons of cured, dried vanilla. It was more challenging to grow vanilla now without the forest canopy as it had kept temperatures milder and the air more humid, ideal growing conditions.
Climate change and the cartels add to the misery
By 2002 the farmers and beneficiadores I worked with, most of whom had lived their entire lives in the vicinity of Papantla, the center of the vanilla industry, complained about how the weather was changing. It was hotter in the spring during pollination.
So-called Mexican vanilla beans available in markets and online
Last year there were only a few tons of vanilla beans available throughout Mexico. Most of that was purchased to make extract in the US. Nevertheless “Mexican” vanilla beans are still for sale.
