Vanilla Extract Experiments

 In the 1980's, we had neighbors who were from Laredo, Texas. They gave me a container - maybe 1/2 gallon of Mexican vanilla from Mexico. I know there's some questions about whether there are "things" in the vanilla that aren't necessarily healthy but it's all I used until I started making my own extract. Those neighbors from Laredo ended up bringing me bottles and bottles of the vanilla from Mexico and I didn't run out until maybe 2010 and then I had to order the vanilla with a rooster on the bottle. When we lived in Texas, there was a Mexican restaurant that sold those big bottles so I guess I was on the road to becoming a vanilla snob and then . . I found where I could order beans and make my own extract.

It was probably late 2021 when I came across a Facebook group that orders vanilla beans. It's a pre-order and it sometimes takes weeks to get the beans. I've ordered probably 8 - 10 different batches of a variety of beans. I think the last order I placed was in mid-2024 so all of the beans I've had "brewing" are ready to use and I've tried all of them. 

By far . . by miles and miles . . the Indonesian beans that were brewed in bourbon are my favorite. Favorite as in I would give away all the other extracts if I could get pounds and pounds of the Indonesian beans. Every time I walk by that jar of extract in the kitchen, I open it and smell it. It's so good . . have I said that enough?  :)

The beans from Indonesia don't seem to become available often. I had kinda stopped reading the posts from the vanilla group because . . how much vanilla extract does a girl need and I wanted to try every bean they offered.

Y'all! I have Youtube on and a commercial just came on "Do you want to make your own vanilla extract?" and it linked to another vanilla bean seller. How weird???

OK . . back to the post . . 

Today I checked the site to see what kind of beans they have and beans from Ecuador. I did a little research to compare these to Indonesian beans and found this. My take is that the Ecuadorian vanilla would be good in my homemade vanilla pudding, ice cream, icing, shakes, etc. - dishes that aren't cooked. The Indonesian vanilla is probably better suited for cakes, pies, cookies, creme brulee - things that are cooked or baked. Of course, I'll try baking with the Ecuadorian vanilla and see what I think.

To make a long story a bit shorter . . I ordered some of the Ecuadorian beans. I'm guessing I won't have them before May or June. I'm going to continue to watch for more Indonesian beans. Those are so, so amazing.