These articles are dedicated to everyone who loves vanilla and its seductive flavor and aroma. Considering how popular vanilla is and how it’s in so many products, it’s surprising how little most of us know about it.
The Queen hopes you’ll enjoy the articles included here. If you are interested in food history or where your favorite foods come from, consider purchasing, Vanilla: The Cultural History of the World’s Favorite Flavor and Fragrance, available in our store. The Queen has the key to the history of vanilla from Mesoamerica to the moment and she’s honored to share the story with the world!
So many choices. So many prices. Are they all the same? What is the best vanilla? Which one should you buy? Have you ever stared
We have been contacted by customers asking about the strong smell of alcohol in our pure vanilla extracts. So we thought we’d address this question.
This article deals with a crisis that hit the vanilla industry in 2015 and drove up prices. But even without a crisis, vanilla is
Understanding vanilla product labels can certainly get complicated as new products flood the market and old products get rebranded. There are actually five different types
Enough customers have asked us this question that I realized that although I’ve mentioned this information in passing in blogs, we needed a blog that
Have you noticed that the cost of cookies, cakes and ice creams have been creeping up? Most desserts use vanilla, and vanilla prices have skyrocketed
Did you know there is a dark side to fair trade vanilla? According to the World Fair Trade Organization, the definition of Fair Trade is
Let’s look at the so-called vanilla from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean for the answer A common misconception exists about vanilla from Mexico, Central
Ah, the delicious allure of romance, the intensity of a new infatuation, the rapture of falling in love. Pretty powerful stuff, the pleasures and
Beautiful, exotic Mexico. Warm weather, gorgeous beaches, a rich and varied culture, delicious food, and…the birthplace of vanilla. Some of you may be thinking, “Well,
A brief encyclopedia of facts you might like to know about vanilla What is Vanilla? Vanilla is a member of the orchid family, the largest and
For an update on the 2016 vanilla shortage, please see “Why is Vanilla so Expensive?“ Have you noticed that vanilla prices have been creeping up
We’ll tell you, plus share with you our favorite vanilla paste recipes! In 1967 I saw my first vanilla bean. I was already 24 years old.
Here are some of the questions that I’m most frequently asked about vanilla. These are the short answers. If you have questions about specific products,
Really. In 1985, when I wrote The Vanilla Cookbook, my editors asked me what vanilla could be used in besides ice cream, dessert and beverages.
For a flavor that everyone loves (some people love it more than chocolate!), why is vanilla extract sold in little bottles or one or two
Another vanilla crisis? Didn’t we just have one? Yep, we sure did and the price of a little bottle of vanilla was ridiculously high! So
In the summer of 2007 I met Chris Barden of Worldwide Farmers Exchange (WFE), a program operating out of Berkeley California. We were attending an
Want a natural vanilla fragrance? Unfortunately, there isn’t a cheap solution. Extracts contain too much water and ground vanilla powder acts more like an exfoliant
In addition to the more traditional vanilla beans and extracts, there are newer alternatives for cooking, baking and flavoring beverages. Ground vanilla beans (also called
I was given a small bottle of Rain’s Choice in a gift basket and I have been hooked ever since. The flavor makes all of my baking so much better! I will never use grocery store vanilla again!
