Where does Mexican vanilla come from?
Only in Mexico is the Melipona Bee found. The most rich and authentic vanilla grows in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, near the Gulf of Mexico. Since this discovery, Mexican Vanilla has been produced in other tropical regions of the world, but only through artificial pollinization.
Where does vanilla grow in the wild?
Vanilla grew wild in the forests, but because of its unique and complicated reproduction cycle, vanilla beans were rare and greatly valued. After the Conquest, and Mexico was known as New Spain, the demand for vanilla both locally and in Europe grew dramatically as the Europeans used it to flavor both beverages and confections.
Are Mexican vanilla beans coming back to Mexico?
It’s important to be aware that gourmet and extract grade vanilla beans that look similar to Mexican beans have been brought into Mexico from other countries (mainly Madagascar) and are being sold as Mexican beans online. Interesting, isn’t it, considering that all the Mexican vanilla was gone before June of 2014.
Can you still buy vanilla extract in Mexico?
Nevertheless, supposed Mexican vanilla beans and extract are still for sale in Mexico, where stores and vendors hawk bottles of “PURE VANILLA EXTRACT.” But consumers should be aware that vanilla beans are brought into Mexico from other countries (mainly Madagascar) and are then sold as Mexican.
Is vanilla still grown in Mexico?
Most vanilla beans available today are from Madagascar, Mexico and Tahiti. As with wine, chocolate and coffee, vanilla from each country has its own distinctive flavor profile and characteristics, owing to the different climates, soils, curing methods and vanilla species.
Can you get vanilla in Mexico?
Mexican vanilla -- which may smell and taste like real vanilla and is cheaper than the real thing -- is sold in Mexico and other Latin American countries and has started appearing in some U.S. stores and restaurants, the FDA said. Pure vanilla is made with the extract of beans from the vanilla plant.
What is different about Mexican vanilla?
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.)
Does Mexico have good vanilla extract?
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.
What is best Mexican vanilla?
10 Best Mexican Vanilla That You Need To Try In 2022La Vencedora Mexican Vanilla Flavoring Extract.Danncy Dark Pure Mexican Vanilla Extract.Danncy Clear Pure Mexican Vanilla Extract.Usumacinta Pure Mexican Vanilla.Mexican Vanilla Blend By Molina Vainilla.San Luis Rey Mexican Vanilla.LorAnn's Mexican Vanilla Extract.More items...
How much does a bottle of vanilla cost in Mexico?
Producer prices A kg of Vanilla in Mexico is around USD 12.95 in Mexico City and Guadalajara, packed and ready for export. The price in MXN currency is 0.6522915.
Is Mexican vanilla different than regular vanilla?
But it is quite rare to be able to discern any difference between vanilla extracts of the same quality from Madagascar and Mexico because both countries grow the same variety of bean, Planifolia.
Does Mexican vanilla expire?
The shelf life of Mexican vanilla extract depends on it's quality. High quality Mexican vanilla extract will last up to 10 years but cheap Mexican vanilla extract may only retain it's flavor for up to 2 years.
How can you tell if vanilla extract is pure?
To be labeled Pure Vanilla Extract, a gallon measure must contain 13.35% vanilla bean extractives (10-ounces of moisture-free solids), 35% alcohol, and the balance in distilled water. What is not listed in the Standard of Identity is sugar, corn syrup, caramel color or any other additives pure vanilla may contain.
How can you tell if Mexican vanilla is real?
You'll see a lot of little brown spots in the cream colored ice cream. Those little tiny spots are the actual vanilla beans. We have grown so accustomed to the brown color from imitation vanilla that we have added caramel coloring (made from molasses) to our darker versions of Mexican Vanilla.
What is the best vanilla to buy in Puerto Vallarta?
Puerto Vallarta, authentic Mexico Travel Guide....Purchase TipsIt should be amber-coloured, dark and murky is synthetic, so if it's amber-coloured and clear it's a good sign that it can be pure.If the price is low, that's a telltale sign that it's not pure. ... Clear coloured products are pure synthetic vanillin.
Can you buy vanilla in Cozumel?
Vanilla extract The good news is that when you get to Cozumel, you have a big chance of snagging a couple of bottles of pure vanilla extract.
Is it illegal to bring vanilla back from Mexico?
You can't take everything with you from Mexico to the United States. That's a hard lesson to learn while standing in line only to be told you can't bring the bottle of vanilla extract you bought for your mother's holiday baking.
Can you bring back vanilla from Mexico?
If you pack this vanilla in your checked luggage, it is totally not an issue - but I'd suggest you consider double bagging them securely in ziplock bags, just in case they leak.
Why is vanilla so much cheaper in Mexico?
Artificial vanilla extract is affordable, and is the vanilla extract predominantly sold in countries that produce vanilla beans. This is the paradox of vanilla's hand-crafted production. That's why in Mexico, even though the country grows very fine beans, artificial vanillas dominate the market.
How much do vanilla beans cost in Mexico?
about $250 a poundIn Mexico, prices are on par with silver, averaging about $250 a pound and causing some farmers to hire armed guards to protect their vanilla crops from theft. Even with the coronavirus pandemic, the worldwide demand for vanilla is strong, as home cooks take on more ambitious baking projects.
Where does vanilla grow?
The most rich and authentic vanilla grows in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, near the Gulf of Mexico. Since this discovery, Mexican Vanilla has been produced in other tropical regions of the world, but only through artificial pollinization.
Where did the vanilla plant come from?
A mystery to the world until 1836, a Frenchman observing very closely the original Vanilla plant, in Mexico, discovered the reason. Each of the orchid blooms was visited by the small ""Melipona"" bee. This specialized little creature provided the pollination which produced the fruit! Only in Mexico is the Melipona Bee found.
What did the Totonacs use vanilla for?
The Totonacs considered vanilla a sacred herb and used it in ritual offerings, as a perfume and for medicine, but rarely as a flavoring. By the early 1400s, the Aztecs added to the mystique of vanilla by combining it with chocolate.
How long does it take for Mexican vanilla to bloom?
This is the reason why Mexican Vanilla is the finest for flavor and fragrance throughout the world, and truly is the King of Vanillas! It takes approximately 18 months for a vanilla cutting to produce its first flowers. The small yellow-green orchid blooms for only a few hours before wilting unless it is naturally pollinated.
Why is vanilla so expensive?
Vanilla is the second most expensive spice (after saffron) due to the extensive labor required to grow, harvest, and cure the vanilla beans.
What is Mexican vanilla?
Mexican Vanilla - A History. A very brief history of Mexican vanilla: Vanilla is Mexico’s gift to the world! Vanilla is the only edible fruit of the orchid. The Totonacs of Veracruz, Mexico are credited as its first cultivators. The Totonacs considered vanilla a sacred herb and used it in ritual offerings, as a perfume and for medicine, ...
Is Mexican vanilla a climbing orchid?
Vanilla, a species of a climbing Orchid, grew beautiful foliage and flowers in each of these regions, but never produced any Vanilla pods. A mystery to the world until 1836, a Frenchman observing very closely ...
Where is vanilla from?
Although Mexico is known to be the birthplace of vanilla, there is some confusion as to what Mexican vanilla is and how it is different from other versions of the spice.
What is Mexican vanilla made of?
Mexican vanilla is generally manufactured with the extract of tonka beans. These beans come from a completely different plant species belonging to the pea family. The component coumarin found in these beans contributes to an authentic rich flavor in the artificial extract, however, is outlawed in the United States due to health concerns.
Is it worth buying real food extract?
The pure product adds a distinctively warm, rich, and sweet note to baked dishes, desserts, and frostings. Although synthetic extracts add a similar flavor the quality is not the same and is highly noticeable. Buying the real product if you can afford it is definitely worth it and you will notice a big difference in the aromatic quality of your dishes.
Is artificial extract good for Mexican beans?
Artificial extracts dominate the Mexican market despite the fact that it once had a reputation for good quality beans. The synthetic product is much more affordable as it does not require the long, laborious, and expensive cultivation process of the delicate plants.
Can you buy beans and make your own extract?
When possible, always choose to purchase beans and scrape out the seeds or make your own extract. This way you can be assured of the purest, best-tasting product and know exactly what the ingredients are.
Is Mexican food regulated in the USA?
Mexican food labeling laws are not as regulated as in the USA which means that many Mexican extracts labeled as pure may in fact be artificial and may contain coumarin.
Is Mexican vanilla a synthetic product?
To enhance the synthetic product to more closely reflect the rich, complex, and fragrant characteristics of the real pods, a component called coumarin was added. Mexican vanilla is therefore now mostly known to be a synthetic product with the addition of coumarin which gives it an extra fragrant and rich appeal.
Where is vanilla grown?
The Leading Countries In Vanilla Production In The World. Natural Vanilla dries in the sun on a farm in Madagascar. Mexico is said to be the birthplace of the vanilla bean, which belongs to the orchid family. This plant family ( Orchidaceae) is said to be among the largest of all flowering plant families. The original inhabitants of Mesoamerica ...
Which countries produce vanilla?
Other countries like Papua New Guinea (502 tons), Turkey (303 tons), and Tonga (180 tons) make up most of the rest of the world largest vanilla production. Vanilla production can still be increased further by new methods of curing vanilla and exporting finished products, thereby eliminating the risks associated with the primary production of vanilla. Since the market may be affected by ‘synthetic vanilla’, which is being used in the majority of vanilla products on the market today, countries that are seeing a downward trend in natural production may be able to take advantage of synthetic vanilla, which is cheaper to produce and less volatile.
Why is vanilla so expensive?
Natural vanilla is said to be the 2nd most expensive spice in the globe, second only to saffron. This is due to its intensively-involved methods of cultivation, which also makes the vanilla industry one of the world’s most volatile markets. For instance, a few years back in 2003, the price of vanilla rose to record highs of $500 per kilogram, which led to a rush of new market entrants with hopes of taking advantage of this lucrative crop. By 2010, however, prices had plummeted from that high point to less than $25 a kilogram. Such swinging of prices, and drought and fungal attack incidents, are driving growers and processors in different countries, including Mexico, out of the market today and looking for more stable opportunities elsewhere.
What is the family of vanilla?
This plant family ( Orchidaceae) is said to be among the largest of all flowering plant families. The original inhabitants of Mesoamerica have cultivated vanilla since ancient times and after European contact and colonization, Mexico was said to be the first locale to send vanilla’s delicate flavors and fragrances to all the corners of the world.
Is Mexican vanilla a global product?
Though they still remain among the top global producers of vanilla, Mexican producers have been unable to reclaim a position at the very top as African and Asian countries have claimed larger and larger stakes in the global vanilla market.
Is synthetic vanilla cheaper?
Since the market may be affected by ‘synthetic vanilla’, which is being used in the majority of vanilla products on the market today, countries that are seeing a downward trend in natural production may be able to take advantage of synthetic vanilla, which is cheaper to produce and less volatile.
Are Poor Job Markets Conducive to High Vanilla Output?
Due to the fact that vanilla production is highly labor-intensive in nature, countries with the lowest labor costs are favored. Countries such as China may struggle to gain much ground in the market because workers there are most likely going to demand higher incomes as the Chinese economy continues to grow. Ironically, countries with low growth rates, like Uganda (who produced 211 tons of vanilla in 2016), will have a long-term labor cost advantage within the vanilla market leading to increasingly better production and rankings. Comoros remains a prospect to become listed among the top producers of vanilla in the world because, just like Madagascar, their major labor force component is found within the agricultural sector. It is estimated that at least 70% of the working population active in Comoros’s rural areas is involved in vanilla production.
Where are vanilla beans grown?
Like many other products, vanilla is a popular target for thieves. Each year, the majority of vanilla beans grown in Mexico – a declining total crop of less than 10 tonnes in 2019, compared to about 1,700 tonnes from Madagascar — are purchased to make extract in the United States. Nevertheless, supposed Mexican vanilla beans ...
What is the Mexican Institute of Vanilla?
— and the formation of the Mexican Institute of Vanilla (Instituto Mexicano de la Vainilla) to increase production and bring back the integrity of Mexican vanilla. Whoa!
How much does vanilla cost?
Current vanilla prices are US $400 a kilo for beans at source, depending on size and quality, and extract-grade beans are even more expensive. When shipping, customs and other fees are added, the price can be $100 more per kilo. “How much did you pay for it? That’s the biggest tip-off,” says Rain.
Is vanilla extract still sold in Mexico?
Nevertheless, supposed Mexican vanilla beans and extract are still for sale in Mexico, where stores and vendors hawk bottles of “PURE VANILLA EXTRACT.”. But consumers should be aware that vanilla beans are brought into Mexico from other countries (mainly Madagascar) and are then sold as Mexican. The same is true of extracts: the sad fact is ...
Is vanilla extract real vanilla?
People often crow about the fantastic deal they got on a giant bottle of “real vanilla extract” in Mexico. Despite what the label says, though, chances are it isn’t real vanilla at all; it’s imitation vanilla made with ingredients you probably don’t want to be ingesting.
Does Mexico have vanilla?
Let’s back up a bit. Mexico has a long history of vanilla-growing; without getting too detailed, a host of factors have contributed to its current difficulties. These include petroleum companies stripping hardwood forests in the Gulf’s vanilla-growing region, the declining bee population, climate change, increased production of lower-grade vanilla in Madagascar and Indonesia and saturation of the market with artificial vanilla extract labeled otherwise.
Is vanilla made in Mexico?
Just last week, the Mexican Comité Sistema Producto Nacional de la Vainilla (National Vanilla Product Committee) released a statement declaring that “95% of vanilla consumed in Mexico is artificial.”. The article goes on to describe widespread use of coumarin – used to make rat poison and banned in the U.S.
Where does vanilla come from?
After all, vanilla isn’t even native to Madagascar. The main source of vanilla is the Vanilla planiflolia orchid. Long cultivated in Mexico, the flavoring from its long pods was used in rituals and in the traditional Aztec drink of ground, spiced chocolate.
Why is Madagascar still on top of the vanilla game?
The reason that Madagascar is still on top of the vanilla game is grim : According to The Financial Times, it’s one of the few regions with the right climate that is also poor enough to make laborious hand-pollination affordable.
Who was the first person to pollinate vanilla flowers?
In 1841, one young innovator figured out an unlikely solution. Edmond Albius was a 12-year-old slave on the French-controlled island of Réunion, in the Indian Ocean. Using a stick and his thumb, Albius pushed together the male anthers and female stigma of the vanilla flower, pollinating it efficiently.
