What’s the best vanilla extract?

Patricia Rain July 15, 2021 51 Comments

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 at the vanilla extracts on the store shelves and wondered which is the best vanilla extract to buy? In some respects, choosing a vanilla extract is like selecting a fine wine. How do you know which one to buy? Read on for an insider’s view of vanilla extract, how to choose what’s best for you and why high-quality vanilla makes a world of difference in flavor. The best quality vanilla extracts come with a price

Why Does Vanilla Extract Smell Like Alcohol?

Patricia Rain October 1, 2019 8 Comments

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. There are good reasons and a simple fix for this. The Reasons 1. The FDA requires alcohol in vanilla The FDA Standard of Identity for pure vanilla extracts requires that there must be a minimum of 35% alcohol in pure vanilla extract. The alcohol may be made with grain alcohol or sugarcane alcohol. In the case of our vanilla extracts, we use sugarcane alcohol because it is both GMO-free and gluten-free.

Why is vanilla so expensive?

Patricia Rain February 15, 2017 16 Comments

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 since 2014. Could that be it? Absolutely! And why is vanilla so expensive now? The answer may surprise you. Read on. Like everything else, the cost of vanilla is affected by supply and demand, and today the vanilla supply is down – WAY DOWN. The reasons will surprise you! Tropical farmers who grow coffee, cacao, vanilla, sugar and a few other crops, constantly face fluctuating prices for their crops due to supply and demand. And

What’s the difference between imitation and pure vanilla?

Patricia Rain March 7, 2016 17 Comments

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 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

Facts and FAQs About Vanilla

Patricia Rain October 31, 2015 8 Comments

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 oldest family of flowering plants in the world. Vanilla is the only edible fruit of the entire orchid family, which includes roughly 25,000 orchid varieties and over 10,000 hybrids. It grows best in the moist, tropical regions of the world 15-1/2 degrees to the north and south of the Equator.

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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!

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What’s the best vanilla extract?

Why Does Vanilla Extract Smell Like Alcohol?

Why is vanilla so expensive?

What’s the difference between imitation and pure vanilla?

Facts and FAQs About Vanilla

Verified Customer Review

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