Loved the video. One small thing: the Aztecs didn’t exist “thousands” of years ago (they became Aztecs in 1325). And that pyramid is not an aztec pyramid. That pyramid is way older and was teotihuacan: an ancient civilization way before the Aztecs.
Год назад+3
In my country it is more common to use vanilla essence because it is cheaper. Real vanilla is exclusive to restaurants as it is extremely expensive. But we have something quite similar to real vanilla and at a more accessible cost, it is called sarrapia (Dipteryx odorata, D. punctata) it is a seed with an aroma similar to vanilla.
Crazy, last night I was making some rice pudding (once a week thing) and realized I was out of pure vanilla extract and found some old artificial vanilla in the pantry. When I finished I went in for a taste And To my surprised the pudding had a more vanilla flavor. I thought it was just me but now I know why 👍🏻. Thanks Dan.
Well done, Dan! You've presented a fact based, non-opinionated, reasonable, and well balanced report on a treasured ingredient. For a fast minute there I thought we were about to get a lecture, and I was glad to be proven wrong. In my cupboards, I currently have 30 vanilla beans, a quart of homemade extract, 2 or 3 bottles of various real vanilla extracts, and a giant bottle of imitation vanilla. I use them all in different applications, and have been drying the pods for decades after scraping the seeds. I can store the pod powder for some future use but usually I will just add it to whatever recipe I'm making, OR add it to the Vanilla Sugar Jar. But anyway, well done, you! ATK is the absolute best.
I have used Adams Best Vanilla for 56 years. I was such an inexperienced cook I once searched a grocery store for special water to be used in a recipe that said to cook the spinach in water that clings to the leaves. That is a true story. Back to Adams Best, two tsp of it an a 1/8 tsp of salt and a vodka crust has made my pecan pie the favorite of everyone who has tasted. Thanks for a educational, humorous and entertaining video!
What did that recipe even mean "water that clings to the leaves"? I wanna give younger-you a hug as it sounds like something a younger-me would be confused by as well: today I'd just take their suggestion under advisement and cook the spinach however it was easiest for me at the moment.
I purely love vanilla and I routinely use a lot more than most recipes call for. Like, 3-4 times as much. And I use both real and imitation vanilla: real for recipes where it won’t be heated further, imitation for all baked goods. Yum to it all.
This is so helpful, thank you! Now I know I can save my pure vanilla extract for things like ice cream and whipped cream, but use artificial vanilla extract in my cakes and cookies!
How much pure vanilla extract do you use per 1 cup of heavy whipping cream when making whipped cream? Currently I use 1 teaspoon per cup (which I thought was a lot)…. Am I missing out, should I use more???
@@AN-jw2oe Honestly, I would double it, perhaps triple. Depends on your cream and the vanilla. Double it and taste before it's fully whipped. If it's enough, you've got your amount. If you think it could use a bit more, add a little bit more.
@@AN-jw2oe: How much you use depends on how intense of a vanilla flavor you want - me, I can’t get enough of it and if it weren’t for the high alcohol content, I’d probably just drink it. But for a cup of heavy cream, I add a tablespoon, and just two teaspoons of sugar. I like it mildly sweet but with a very assertive vanilla flavor.
Yes! I'm that orchid owner! When vanilla prices went out of control a few years ago, I switched to imitation and no one noticed. Now that the prices are back to normal, I switched back, and no one noticed. 🤔😁
Natural vanilla extract only for adding to buzzed up coffee: in blender add brewed coffee, butter or coconut oil or MCT oil, a little honey or stevia, big pinch of cinnamon ( I use true cinnamon ), a small pinch of Himalayan salt, and a small pour of vanilla extract. Blend 15-30 seconds, pour and be ready to scrape the foam from the blender jar when you pour. Can substitute cayenne pepper for the cinnamon - delete the honey in that case and add cacao powder with the vanilla.
I keep both on hand and use both! I actually have started to use them similarly to how I use good EVOO and the more processed olive oil since I saw this video. High quality EVOO and pure vanilla when I’m not cooking it (almost like a condiment) and the imitation vanilla or a processed olive oil when it’s going to be heated.
Each July I start a new bottle of vodka and vanilla beans, then let it sit for two years; I didn't realize that I can just add to my existing one. I have a bottle of spiced rum that is going to be the base for my next extract.
Yeah, I don't think vanilla is boring or plain at all! Among flavours for ice cream and wafer biscuits, for example, vanilla is probably my top choice.
I love vanilla. I live 80 miles from the Mexican border and used to drive across and buy a quart of vanilla for about $8. Haven't gone in few years though. Just a couple of days ago I was in a Sprouts and their tiny bottle of real vanilla was $25 so seeing this is perfect timing for me!!
It's funny that the imitation was preferred in some applications. I get frustrated when I watch cooking videos and snobby elitists say stuff like, "only use the pure extract" or "you have to buy fresh lemons, you can't use that bottled juice" or "don't even bother making this if you are going to use that nasty prechopped garlic". Maybe some people don't want to or can't spend 12 dollars on a bottle of real extract. If you are cooking or baking and making something with love for your friends and family, little things like this are fairly minuscule in the end result, and if cutting a corner like this is the difference between you making something and buying something premade from the store, you cut that corner.
I would normally agree, but I've never experienced a good pre-bottled lemon juice (always some weird off taste in it), and pre-grated garlic has never tasted as garlicky to me. Artificial vanilla has always tasted almost exactly the same to me, though.
@@Marina-rc7px Castoreum, which is produced by beavers is difficult and expensive to collect. Less than 300 pounds is collected annually, and most of it is used in the high end perfume industry. Castoreum isn't used in food production anymore. If it were, imitation vanilla would be way more expensive than real extract. Imitation vanilla is made from plant fiber in a lab, and is chemically identical to the vanillin in vanilla beans.
What happened in Madagascar is just another reminder that we shouldn't take products derived from plants for granted. Folks did that with the Gros Michel banana back in the mid-20th Century and now it's relegated to a few growers outside the main -- and fungus-contaminated -- commercial growing regions. The Cavendish that replaced the Big Mike is under threat now from new versions of that very same fungus, raising the specter of having to either move to a different banana cultivar for commercial production, or genetically engineer Cavendish to be resistant to the offending fungus. While GMOs don't bother me a bit, I know some folks really are not cool with them, so both things might end up happening.
One very strange thing is that while visiting Reunion Island, the place where vanilla farming was invented, which is also part of France so you would assume they know a little bit about cooking, they said that scraping the Seeds of vanilla pods is stupid. You should simply use the entire vanilla pod. Also kept in a sealed container it can develop little white hair which is the most exquisite versions of vanilla pods, like a mature cheese.
Your videos absolutely crack me up. No matter what you post whether it applies to me or not I watch it and laugh and learn which is two of my most favorite things. I absolutely love food and I love science and I love comedy so you nailed it for me! Keep it up it is great! 😆
You forgot to mention another aspect that makes vanilla so hard to cultivate as a commercial product- the flowers only bloom for 24hrs, so the window for pollination only lasts a day!
I make my own bourbon vanilla, giving each batch 1 year to steep. It is waaay better than anything I have had before, imitation or real. I use Tahitian grade B vanilla beans (the flavor is better). I cut long slits into 10 vanilla beans and put them in a 1 liter glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Fill with bourbon. Store in a cool dark place and swirl periodically. After 1 year, decant into 5oz stoppered glass bottles and cut the vanilla beans in half. Add vanilla beans to the bottles. Yummy!!! I replied below also, with links to products but it didn't stick, editing the post with info now in case the reply with links below disappears.
I see Sharon didn’t reply. But I too make awesome vanilla. “SuburbanHomesteader Wy-Az” here on RUclips gave me my start. As she suggested, I purchase my beans from SLO-Foods. Wonderful moist beans. Not cheap, but worth it. I use nice vodka, not the cheap stuff.
The ratio that both of my vanilla bean co-ops suggest ( to be acceptable to sell as vanilla extract) is one Oz of vanilla beans to 8 Oz of alcohol (70-100 proof) I cut and slit the beans, add to alcohol, shake occasionally and let sit in a dark place for about a year. Dark alcohols such as spice rum etc. take 1 1/2 -2 years to extract
People think that natural flavoring means it comes from the natural source. Natural flavoring encompasses the flavoring from petroleum derived products. Ther's apple/pear/pineapple/nuts not to memtio all pit /stone fruit which contain cyanide if pressed (fon't imagine people remove pits/stones).
I always use imitation Vanilla only because of dietary restriction. I can't have any alcohol in my diet! And I am thankful for the alternative and it has been working fine for me. Occasionally I would use vanilla sugar.
❤ My favourite flavour! VANILLA. I have a jar of my own vanilla extract that I started in 2018. I keep topping it up with Madagascar Grade A vanilla beans (I add 5 to 10 new beans per year) and more Vodka. I have a second jar that I have started with the same type of vanilla beans and have not only begun the extraction with Vodka but also added Spiced Rum and artificial vanilla extract for that bump of vanillin flavour and to darken it’s colour! Dan, great video and as always so much fun. Thank you. JL
It’s like how I actually prefer Aunt Jemima’s syrup over pure maple syrup!!! It is slightly sweeter and has a stronger maple flavor!! Exactly why I love maple bar donuts!
I'm so glad to see the ground vanilla powder getting the love it deserves. IMO it's how vanilla should always be used, especially for vanilla sugar. Escoffier was on this 100 years ago.
Great Video! I keep real and fake extracts on hand, as well as a variety of beans, not to mention pure powdered vanillin & ethyl vanillin (the ethyl has an earthier, slightly more complex flavor/aroma, and is 3x more pottant).
I often make my own flavored yogurts by stirring in flavorings. I do find the mix of real vanilla and synthetic vanilla gives a much better taste than just the cheaper synthetic.
Dan Souza, Greetings from Oaxaca, Mexico . I've been cooking since 1965 (avidly watching Julia Child on TV) and retired to Mexico in 1986. Julia recommended using real vanilla extract and beans which I've done most of my life. Occasionally my partner would buy imitation vanilla which I would have him use in his own concoctions. Ina Garten taught me how to make my own vanilla extract with vodka, which is what I've been doing for years. we buy vanilla beans at a local spice shop 'La Oaxaquena' they cost around $3,US each. I go through around 20 per month. I enjoyed your video, very informative. All the Best JIM
When my husband was put on a diet to fix mold toxicity, all alcohols were out … as were almost everything worth eating, but I was able to bake him some carob brownies with powdered vanilla. It got him through that tough period. I see many European recipes that use sachets of vanilla sugar and wish we used them in the US, but I am happy enough with paste and the occasional bean. I scored a quart of paste from a restaurant supply store guy on Nextdoor. I can’t imagine going back even to extract. Imitation is just flat, at least in home baking in my experience. But then, I am team vanilla over chocolate, so maybe that’s why.
I don't know. One time, awhile ago, I mistakenly bought some Watkins that I thought was real vanilla, but was imitation. I used it for a long time, always unhappy with that whatever the hell that was fake vanilla flavor. I finally decided that life was too short and threw the damned stuff out. It's real vanilla for me.
I love my dark spiced rum vanilla extract. It adds so much wherever I use it. I also adore using my vanilla sugar, which seems to be relatively unknown in the US, although Europe has had it forever. It's a surefire way to up your baking game or just coffee.
When baking most cakes like chocolate or spice or when making Banana Bread, I substitute Bourbon for the Vanilla--just double the amount. In such strongly flavored items the Vanilla is not missed--and the end result is still delicious.
I used imitation vanilla for making Christmas snacks this holiday seadon because I needed to use a lot and couldn't splurge for regular. I upped the amount I used, typically from one tsp to one and a half tsp and everything I made tasted wonderful. This included hard toffee and Rice Krispie squares.
This was very interesting, especially regarding the way vanilla is produced and treated. I've seen stuff before, I think from Kenji, about imitation vanilla being better than real in many/most applications, and I try to use it when I remember, but that jar of real vanilla is just so inviting.
I brought back bottles of vanilla from Mexico a few months ago for myself and friends for holiday baking. I don't know what the difference is though. My ex mil gave me some once and said it's stronger than regular vanilla and to use half of the amount called for.
Imitation vanilla is derived from plant fiber. So if you eat fruits and vegetables, plant fiber is already a part of your diet. Also, if you eat cinnamon, you're already eating ground up tree bark. There's nothing to be afraid of in imitation vanilla. It's chemically identical to the vanillin in vanilla beans.
Dan, when you were talking about “aztecs” using chocolate and vanilla combinations, you showed a picture of the pyramid of the sun, in teotihuacan, a city built by a completely different culture long before aztecs even existed. it would be like talking about roman culture and showing a picture of the early greek period. good video, but expected much more from you.
For years, my wife and I would argue about "fake" verses real vanilla. I wanted to use the real stuff; she wanted to use the imitation because it is much cheaper. One summer day we were shopping for the ingredients for a large batch of zucchini bread. The recipe uses two tablespoons of vanilla, (it makes six loafs). I calculated that using real vanilla would cost about 58 cents per batch. (Remember, this was years ago, it costs more now.) While shopping I noticed that the imitation vanilla cost 57 cents for an 8 ounce bottle. I had an idea. I told my wife that I would agree to use imitation vanilla, BUT I wouldn't use just two tablespoons in the recipe. I would use the entire bottle of imitation vanilla because that would be the same cost as using real vanilla. Those loafs of zucchini bread were very good. Now my method is to use imitation vanilla in most recipes, but I don't measure it. I just pour it in since it is so inexpensive.
I just learned that I've been pronouncing "vanillin" wrong in my head while reading the word my entire life. I don't think I've ever said the word out loud lol.
Love the episode on vanilla. 🥰 I always use the Nielsen Massey Vanilla bean paste. I find the other stuff has a strong alcohol flavour. Great episode. I am going to make the Pate a choux for Christmas 🎄 time.
The imitation vanilla is alcohol free as well. Serious Eats did a test with uncooked vanilla pudding, and while people could tell the difference between imitation and pure extract, it turned out that it was just the alcohol they were tasting. When they added a little vodka to the imitation stuff people couldn't tell them apart.
To anyone who had a tough time spotting it, the cuts between real Dan and mannequin Dan happen at 0:03 (Right at "Artificial"), 0:07 (right at "Software"), 0:11 (right at "If you feel"), 0:14 (at "This whole time"), 0:20 (right before "You couldn't tell, could you?"), 0:26 (at "where the difference"), and there's a final subtle switch at 0:29.
I was a bit mortified to discover that, for decades, I’ve been pronouncing _vanillin_ apparently incorrectly with the stress on the NIL syllable (rather like the word _vanilla_ itself) rather than on the VAN syllable. _Then_ it turns out that the overwhelming majority of online dictionaries that provide audio pronunciations actually suggest the pronunciation I’ve been using so I don’t feel so bad. 😅
Like many responding here, I keep both the imitation and real stuff around, using the former in cooked or baked recipes. By the way, we organic chemists say va-NIL-in. Great episode anyway.
Wow - more than I ever guessed I could learn about vanilla! Thanks, Dan! ... I will only use real vanilla. Something about the word "artificial" combined with "dessert food" doesn't sit well with me.
I was amazed to learn the sweating can take place at 150 degF. Most proteins will unfold at a much lower temperature (more like 120). But you mentioned other flavors being created by oxidation reactions. Perhaps the sweating starts at 100 degF and is slowly increased to 150?
weird how this came up, I'd only learned about edmond albius and vanilla maybe a couple weeks ago. he was a 12-year-old slave when he developed this technique....
What about making your own extract? I use about 5 beans that l split open and place in a jar. To this, l add good vodka and close the lid. I store it in the cupboard for at least three months, giving it a gentle up and down pivot. Is this a method worth continuing?
It depends on what size jar (actually it depends on how much alcohol you're adding to the vanilla pods in that jar). For the home baker, the FDA requirements equal 0.10 ounces of vanilla beans in every 1 ounce of spirits. If you’re using average-sized vanilla beans, 6 to 8 beans equal one ounce. For plumper vanilla beans, 1 to 3 beans equal one ounce. For smaller vanilla beans, you’ll need 15 or more to make up one ounce. I got a 2 pounds a relatively inexpensive vanilla pods online in 2015 or 2016. I chopped up 1.5 pounds and added about 3 L vodka. I decanted several bottles after 8 months, and left the rest to continue steeping. I just decanted the last of it this month! So, if you have the money and like the product, it's worth continuing. You will probably like the results better if you wait at least 6 months, though :)
I agree with everything Chandra said. You'll definitely need more time at the beginning, vodka, and pods. When I started my homemade extract a few years ago I believe I had made 15-20 pods and about half a bottle of vodka for each of my 3 jars I made. I steeped them for just about 6 months in my pantry and made sure to agitate them 1-2 times per week. Now every time I use a pod I add it to one of the containers and I adjust the alcohol content regularly.
It's better than real vanilla because it is 1/20th the price. I don't care if it is made from beaver butt glands. I am not paying ridiculous amounts to eradicate an ever-endangered orchid just so cookies can temporarily taste "authentic". Food goes in. Food goes out.
This might be why I prefer the old, pre-2014 Nestle Crunch bars to today's Ferrero's Crunch bars. When Nestle sold off their candies to Ferrero, the new manufacturer slightly changed the recipes for everything. Why buy something that's popular and selling well and then change it? I don't know; I'll never understand it. Anyway... I noticed a difference, but couldn't quite put my finger on it. Simply put, all of a sudden, Crunch bars neither smelled nor tasted like they had my entire life, so that hit of nostalgia is now gone. Come to find out, one of the changes they made was replacing the vanillin with vanilla extract. Now it makes sense why the new Crunch bars have a noticeably different smell and taste... at least to me.
Dan Souza has to be considered an American treasure. I learn a ton from his presentations and his humor is the cat's meow.
Dan is to food what Steve Kornacki is to politics.
@@chestyvulva No, I don't, but thank you for the recommendation, I will definitely start reading it. I am sure I'd enjoy the entire magazine.
Agreed Weston!
Exactly why we love food scientist
@@mikeg7394 please don't bring politics into cooking
Loved the video. One small thing: the Aztecs didn’t exist “thousands” of years ago (they became Aztecs in 1325). And that pyramid is not an aztec pyramid. That pyramid is way older and was teotihuacan: an ancient civilization way before the Aztecs.
In my country it is more common to use vanilla essence because it is cheaper. Real vanilla is exclusive to restaurants as it is extremely expensive. But we have something quite similar to real vanilla and at a more accessible cost, it is called sarrapia (Dipteryx odorata, D. punctata) it is a seed with an aroma similar to vanilla.
Crazy, last night I was making some rice pudding (once a week thing) and realized I was out of pure vanilla extract and found some old artificial vanilla in the pantry. When I finished I went in for a taste And To my surprised the pudding had a more vanilla flavor. I thought it was just me but now I know why 👍🏻. Thanks Dan.
Well done, Dan! You've presented a fact based, non-opinionated, reasonable, and well balanced report on a treasured ingredient. For a fast minute there I thought we were about to get a lecture, and I was glad to be proven wrong. In my cupboards, I currently have 30 vanilla beans, a quart of homemade extract, 2 or 3 bottles of various real vanilla extracts, and a giant bottle of imitation vanilla. I use them all in different applications, and have been drying the pods for decades after scraping the seeds. I can store the pod powder for some future use but usually I will just add it to whatever recipe I'm making, OR add it to the Vanilla Sugar Jar. But anyway, well done, you! ATK is the absolute best.
I have used Adams Best Vanilla for 56 years. I was such an inexperienced cook I once searched a grocery store for special water to be used in a recipe that said to cook the spinach in water that clings to the leaves. That is a true story. Back to Adams Best, two tsp of it an a 1/8 tsp of salt and a vodka crust has made my pecan pie the favorite of everyone who has tasted. Thanks for a educational, humorous and entertaining video!
What did that recipe even mean "water that clings to the leaves"? I wanna give younger-you a hug as it sounds like something a younger-me would be confused by as well: today I'd just take their suggestion under advisement and cook the spinach however it was easiest for me at the moment.
😂 That’s hilarious!
Dan is the best thing on RUclips. He never disappoints!
Love Dan's segments. Informative and funny.
There is nothing artificial about Dan. He is pure entertainment and knowledge!!
I purely love vanilla and I routinely use a lot more than most recipes call for. Like, 3-4 times as much.
And I use both real and imitation vanilla: real for recipes where it won’t be heated further, imitation for all baked goods. Yum to it all.
My family, also! We always say, in unison, when explaining a recipe and how much WE used: "because they never call for enough vanilla!"
This is so helpful, thank you! Now I know I can save my pure vanilla extract for things like ice cream and whipped cream, but use artificial vanilla extract in my cakes and cookies!
How much pure vanilla extract do you use per 1 cup of heavy whipping cream when making whipped cream? Currently I use 1 teaspoon per cup (which I thought was a lot)…. Am I missing out, should I use more???
@@AN-jw2oe Honestly, I would double it, perhaps triple. Depends on your cream and the vanilla. Double it and taste before it's fully whipped. If it's enough, you've got your amount. If you think it could use a bit more, add a little bit more.
@@AN-jw2oe: How much you use depends on how intense of a vanilla flavor you want - me, I can’t get enough of it and if it weren’t for the high alcohol content, I’d probably just drink it. But for a cup of heavy cream, I add a tablespoon, and just two teaspoons of sugar. I like it mildly sweet but with a very assertive vanilla flavor.
Yes! I'm that orchid owner! When vanilla prices went out of control a few years ago, I switched to imitation and no one noticed. Now that the prices are back to normal, I switched back, and no one noticed. 🤔😁
😂🤭
Natural vanilla extract only for adding to buzzed up coffee:
in blender add brewed coffee, butter or coconut oil or MCT oil, a little honey or stevia, big pinch of cinnamon ( I use true cinnamon ), a small pinch of Himalayan salt, and a small pour of vanilla extract. Blend 15-30 seconds, pour and be ready to scrape the foam from the blender jar when you pour.
Can substitute cayenne pepper for the cinnamon - delete the honey in that case and add cacao powder with the vanilla.
I keep both on hand and use both! I actually have started to use them similarly to how I use good EVOO and the more processed olive oil since I saw this video. High quality EVOO and pure vanilla when I’m not cooking it (almost like a condiment) and the imitation vanilla or a processed olive oil when it’s going to be heated.
I tell my husband all the time how great your presentations are. Clear. Amusing. Understandable.
VAN-uh-lin, or vuh-NIL-in ?
I always thought it was pronounced kind of like vanilla.
Each July I start a new bottle of vodka and vanilla beans, then let it sit for two years; I didn't realize that I can just add to my existing one. I have a bottle of spiced rum that is going to be the base for my next extract.
Yeah, I don't think vanilla is boring or plain at all! Among flavours for ice cream and wafer biscuits, for example, vanilla is probably my top choice.
Same.
When tasting ice cream, always start with the vanilla ice cream before trying other flavors. Usually all other flavors are based on vanilla ice cream.
Cheap ice cream producers lying and selling unflavored cream as "vanilla" ruined the reputation of an exquisite flavor. 😢
Also Hawaii is the only state in the union that grows vanilla orchids.
I love vanilla. I live 80 miles from the Mexican border and used to drive across and buy a quart of vanilla for about $8. Haven't gone in few years though. Just a couple of days ago I was in a Sprouts and their tiny bottle of real vanilla was $25 so seeing this is perfect timing for me!!
It's funny that the imitation was preferred in some applications. I get frustrated when I watch cooking videos and snobby elitists say stuff like, "only use the pure extract" or "you have to buy fresh lemons, you can't use that bottled juice" or "don't even bother making this if you are going to use that nasty prechopped garlic". Maybe some people don't want to or can't spend 12 dollars on a bottle of real extract. If you are cooking or baking and making something with love for your friends and family, little things like this are fairly minuscule in the end result, and if cutting a corner like this is the difference between you making something and buying something premade from the store, you cut that corner.
Unfortunately in this case you should really splurge for organic pure vanilla because imitation vanilla comes from beaver butt excretions no lie
I would normally agree, but I've never experienced a good pre-bottled lemon juice (always some weird off taste in it), and pre-grated garlic has never tasted as garlicky to me. Artificial vanilla has always tasted almost exactly the same to me, though.
That practice has been discontinued for many years now. It is made the way Dan describes it.
@@Marina-rc7px Castoreum, which is produced by beavers is difficult and expensive to collect. Less than 300 pounds is collected annually, and most of it is used in the high end perfume industry. Castoreum isn't used in food production anymore. If it were, imitation vanilla would be way more expensive than real extract. Imitation vanilla is made from plant fiber in a lab, and is chemically identical to the vanillin in vanilla beans.
I am Canadian so I guess that’s why I don’t mind the imitation stuff.
These keep getting better and better. Congrats to Dan and the team for making such a great series! 👏
What happened in Madagascar is just another reminder that we shouldn't take products derived from plants for granted. Folks did that with the Gros Michel banana back in the mid-20th Century and now it's relegated to a few growers outside the main -- and fungus-contaminated -- commercial growing regions. The Cavendish that replaced the Big Mike is under threat now from new versions of that very same fungus, raising the specter of having to either move to a different banana cultivar for commercial production, or genetically engineer Cavendish to be resistant to the offending fungus. While GMOs don't bother me a bit, I know some folks really are not cool with them, so both things might end up happening.
One very strange thing is that while visiting Reunion Island, the place where vanilla farming was invented, which is also part of France so you would assume they know a little bit about cooking, they said that scraping the Seeds of vanilla pods is stupid. You should simply use the entire vanilla pod. Also kept in a sealed container it can develop little white hair which is the most exquisite versions of vanilla pods, like a mature cheese.
😱 I thought the little white hair was mold.
@@thesender6321 well... You're not wrong... The whole thing about maturing the pod is... a form of (perfectly safe) controlled molding...
I make that same pastry cream in a Vitamix blender, using the "Soup" preset. It comes out perfect every time.
Had vanilla extract from Haiti in the 1990s. Never have I sensed a richer and more flavourful vanilla.
Your videos absolutely crack me up. No matter what you post whether it applies to me or not I watch it and laugh and learn which is two of my most favorite things. I absolutely love food and I love science and I love comedy so you nailed it for me! Keep it up it is great! 😆
You forgot to mention another aspect that makes vanilla so hard to cultivate as a commercial product- the flowers only bloom for 24hrs, so the window for pollination only lasts a day!
I make my own bourbon vanilla, giving each batch 1 year to steep. It is waaay better than anything I have had before, imitation or real. I use Tahitian grade B vanilla beans (the flavor is better). I cut long slits into 10 vanilla beans and put them in a 1 liter glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Fill with bourbon. Store in a cool dark place and swirl periodically. After 1 year, decant into 5oz stoppered glass bottles and cut the vanilla beans in half. Add vanilla beans to the bottles. Yummy!!! I replied below also, with links to products but it didn't stick, editing the post with info now in case the reply with links below disappears.
Hi Sharon. Would you share your recipe? I would love to try, but don't know the ratio?
I see Sharon didn’t reply. But I too make awesome vanilla. “SuburbanHomesteader Wy-Az” here on RUclips gave me my start. As she suggested, I purchase my beans from SLO-Foods. Wonderful moist beans. Not cheap, but worth it. I use nice vodka, not the cheap stuff.
@@victorkroud3642 I've made it with vodka also, and it turned out great!
@@angelatruly I replied, will try again!
The ratio that both of my vanilla bean co-ops suggest ( to be acceptable to sell as vanilla extract) is one Oz of vanilla beans to 8 Oz of alcohol (70-100 proof) I cut and slit the beans, add to alcohol, shake occasionally and let sit in a dark place for about a year. Dark alcohols such as spice rum etc. take 1 1/2 -2 years to extract
People think that natural flavoring means it comes from the natural source. Natural flavoring encompasses the flavoring from petroleum derived products. Ther's apple/pear/pineapple/nuts not to memtio all pit /stone fruit which contain cyanide if pressed (fon't imagine people remove pits/stones).
I always use imitation Vanilla only because of dietary restriction. I can't have any alcohol in my diet! And I am thankful for the alternative and it has been working fine for me. Occasionally I would use vanilla sugar.
❤ My favourite flavour! VANILLA. I have a jar of my own vanilla extract that I started in 2018. I keep topping it up with Madagascar Grade A vanilla beans (I add 5 to 10 new beans per year) and more Vodka. I have a second jar that I have started with the same type of vanilla beans and have not only begun the extraction with Vodka but also added Spiced Rum and artificial vanilla extract for that bump of vanillin flavour and to darken it’s colour! Dan, great video and as always so much fun. Thank you. JL
Thank you. Preferring imitation vanilla has been my guilty secret forever!
I just brought a bunch of vanilla back from Tahiti! Love this!
It’s like how I actually prefer Aunt Jemima’s syrup over pure maple syrup!!! It is slightly sweeter and has a stronger maple flavor!! Exactly why I love maple bar donuts!
I'm so glad to see the ground vanilla powder getting the love it deserves. IMO it's how vanilla should always be used, especially for vanilla sugar. Escoffier was on this 100 years ago.
Dan’s the best !!!!!!!!
ATK’s testing chose Watkins brand for baking/heating imitation vanilla.
Dan is always a treat.
Dan is awesome! He always makes learning fun 👍
Thanks Dan for making me smile. I always enjoy your videos.
Great Video!
I keep real and fake extracts on hand, as well as a variety of beans, not to mention pure powdered vanillin & ethyl vanillin (the ethyl has an earthier, slightly more complex flavor/aroma, and is 3x more pottant).
A restaurant across the street from me makes mashed potatoes with vanilla. I was a little apprehensive, but the potatoes were delicious!
I keep both, but I've started using imitation vanilla more and more as time goes by. I like the clear vanilla flavoring in particular.
What brand makes clear imitation vanilla extract???
@@AN-jw2oe McCormick does, I know there are other brands also.
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I often make my own flavored yogurts by stirring in flavorings. I do find the mix of real vanilla and synthetic vanilla gives a much better taste than just the cheaper synthetic.
Its native of Mexico AND Belize.
So nice to see Dan delighting us with Edutainment. Also, truly impressive cold open which had me CACKLING.
Dan Souza, Greetings from Oaxaca, Mexico . I've been cooking since 1965 (avidly watching Julia Child on TV) and retired to Mexico in 1986. Julia recommended using real vanilla extract and beans which I've done most of my life. Occasionally my partner would buy imitation vanilla which I would have him use in his own concoctions. Ina Garten taught me how to make my own vanilla extract with vodka, which is what I've been doing for years. we buy vanilla beans at a local spice shop 'La Oaxaquena' they cost around $3,US each. I go through around 20 per month. I enjoyed your video, very informative. All the Best JIM
When my husband was put on a diet to fix mold toxicity, all alcohols were out … as were almost everything worth eating, but I was able to bake him some carob brownies with powdered vanilla. It got him through that tough period. I see many European recipes that use sachets of vanilla sugar and wish we used them in the US, but I am happy enough with paste and the occasional bean. I scored a quart of paste from a restaurant supply store guy on Nextdoor. I can’t imagine going back even to extract. Imitation is just flat, at least in home baking in my experience. But then, I am team vanilla over chocolate, so maybe that’s why.
Check a European store or maybe an online retailer. I have seen vanilla sugar at my local bulk store but I am not American.
Ok, next, homemade vs store bought vanilla extract. Which is better?
I don't know. One time, awhile ago, I mistakenly bought some Watkins that I thought was real vanilla, but was imitation. I used it for a long time, always unhappy with that whatever the hell that was fake vanilla flavor. I finally decided that life was too short and threw the damned stuff out. It's real vanilla for me.
I love my dark spiced rum vanilla extract. It adds so much wherever I use it. I also adore using my vanilla sugar, which seems to be relatively unknown in the US, although Europe has had it forever. It's a surefire way to up your baking game or just coffee.
When baking most cakes like chocolate or spice or when making Banana Bread, I substitute Bourbon for the Vanilla--just double the amount. In such strongly flavored items the Vanilla is not missed--and the end result is still delicious.
MMMMM good 😋
That sounds good. I'm going to try that. 😊
Fantastic episode! Learned so much!
I’m a fan of vanilla and Dan.
I used imitation vanilla for making Christmas snacks this holiday seadon because I needed to use a lot and couldn't splurge for regular. I upped the amount I used, typically from one tsp to one and a half tsp and everything I made tasted wonderful. This included hard toffee and Rice Krispie squares.
WOW, really enlightening! Thanks Dan (and Hannah)! Melaney from SoCal
This was very interesting, especially regarding the way vanilla is produced and treated. I've seen stuff before, I think from Kenji, about imitation vanilla being better than real in many/most applications, and I try to use it when I remember, but that jar of real vanilla is just so inviting.
I brought back bottles of vanilla from Mexico a few months ago for myself and friends for holiday baking. I don't know what the difference is though. My ex mil gave me some once and said it's stronger than regular vanilla and to use half of the amount called for.
Any good vanilla recipes that are savory?
Wouldn't the "pastry cream" actually be Creme Diplomat due to the mix with whipped? Still looks amazing, and Dan is the best.
Diplomat Cream = pastry cream + whipped cream + gelatin
I have heard about the Vanilla and Sugar combo. It’s quite interesting.
There are several brands of "imitation" vanilla extract. I go back and forth between using real vanilla and Watkins. Both are yummy!!!
Not a fan of petroleum or wood pulp in my food, so I opt for the real deal.
Imitation vanilla is derived from plant fiber. So if you eat fruits and vegetables, plant fiber is already a part of your diet. Also, if you eat cinnamon, you're already eating ground up tree bark. There's nothing to be afraid of in imitation vanilla. It's chemically identical to the vanillin in vanilla beans.
Dan, when you were talking about “aztecs” using chocolate and vanilla combinations, you showed a picture of the pyramid of the sun, in teotihuacan, a city built by a completely different culture long before aztecs even existed. it would be like talking about roman culture and showing a picture of the early greek period. good video, but expected much more from you.
You most be fun at party’s
Man! My dog looked at me like I'm crazy when I laughed out loud watching you smile handshaking yourself proudly! This made my day!!!
For years, my wife and I would argue about "fake" verses real vanilla. I wanted to use the real stuff; she wanted to use the imitation because it is much cheaper. One summer day we were shopping for the ingredients for a large batch of zucchini bread. The recipe uses two tablespoons of vanilla, (it makes six loafs). I calculated that using real vanilla would cost about 58 cents per batch. (Remember, this was years ago, it costs more now.) While shopping I noticed that the imitation vanilla cost 57 cents for an 8 ounce bottle. I had an idea. I told my wife that I would agree to use imitation vanilla, BUT I wouldn't use just two tablespoons in the recipe. I would use the entire bottle of imitation vanilla because that would be the same cost as using real vanilla. Those loafs of zucchini bread were very good. Now my method is to use imitation vanilla in most recipes, but I don't measure it. I just pour it in since it is so inexpensive.
I just learned that I've been pronouncing "vanillin" wrong in my head while reading the word my entire life. I don't think I've ever said the word out loud lol.
Lol I just had this same thought.
According to the Oxford dictionary, Dan is pronouncing wrong here.
Charming and funny!
Yes, yes he is.
Love the episode on vanilla. 🥰 I always use the Nielsen Massey Vanilla bean paste. I find the other stuff has a strong alcohol flavour. Great episode. I am going to make the Pate a choux for Christmas 🎄 time.
Oooh, sounds good. I'm going to try that.
The imitation vanilla is alcohol free as well. Serious Eats did a test with uncooked vanilla pudding, and while people could tell the difference between imitation and pure extract, it turned out that it was just the alcohol they were tasting. When they added a little vodka to the imitation stuff people couldn't tell them apart.
To anyone who had a tough time spotting it, the cuts between real Dan and mannequin Dan happen at 0:03 (Right at "Artificial"), 0:07 (right at "Software"), 0:11 (right at "If you feel"), 0:14 (at "This whole time"), 0:20 (right before "You couldn't tell, could you?"), 0:26 (at "where the difference"), and there's a final subtle switch at 0:29.
Never take nature and it’s gift for granted. I love vanilla flavours in anything. Great video.
I love your humor! ❤️❤️🤣🤣🤪😂😂 Thanks for the info. No wonder vanilla is so expensive.
I love videos like this. Thank you.
I was a bit mortified to discover that, for decades, I’ve been pronouncing _vanillin_ apparently incorrectly with the stress on the NIL syllable (rather like the word _vanilla_ itself) rather than on the VAN syllable. _Then_ it turns out that the overwhelming majority of online dictionaries that provide audio pronunciations actually suggest the pronunciation I’ve been using so I don’t feel so bad. 😅
I was wondering about that myself. It sounds like he's saying VAN-ah-lin. Growing up I learned at va-NIL-in.
@@3moirai To me, it was like _vinyl_ but with the first syllable being _van_ + _in._ Very weird.
He is smart, cute, and funny. Love watching and learning from his videos.😀
Like many responding here, I keep both the imitation and real stuff around, using the former in cooked or baked recipes. By the way, we organic chemists say va-NIL-in. Great episode anyway.
the handshake and smile at the camera. what a great play on the gag from the first bit
I love the vanilla from Costco and of course any vanilla from Mexico even Molina, believe it or don’t!! Both delicious.
Wow - more than I ever guessed I could learn about vanilla! Thanks, Dan! ... I will only use real vanilla. Something about the word "artificial" combined with "dessert food" doesn't sit well with me.
Same.
I didn't know that there was anything different about vanilla extract. Thankyou for this information.
Wow that is a vanilla crunchy whoopee pie. My dreams have come true.
Dan your videos are a hoot! Love 'em all!
I feel that can’t possibly be the way vanillin is pronounced. Surely it’s the same (basically) as vanilla - vuh NILL un? Not like lanolin.
I was amazed to learn the sweating can take place at 150 degF. Most proteins will unfold at a much lower temperature (more like 120). But you mentioned other flavors being created by oxidation reactions. Perhaps the sweating starts at 100 degF and is slowly increased to 150?
Last week I saw you can order a vanilla orchid. I thought, "I could do that."
Today I watched this video. Then I thought, "Yeah. No."
weird how this came up, I'd only learned about edmond albius and vanilla maybe a couple weeks ago. he was a 12-year-old slave when he developed this technique....
sometimes kroger has the private select pure bean extract, on the mark down end cap. i got a 25$ bottle for $4. my husband loves my cookies with it
Oh Dan - you’re such a lovable goofball! Good information, thanks!
I've figured it out! He so reminds me of Alton Brown from "Good Eats"! So great at relaying info with clever humor. 😄
He and Lan Lam are why I subscribe
What about making your own extract? I use about 5 beans that l split open and place in a jar. To this, l add good vodka and close the lid. I store it in the cupboard for at least three months, giving it a gentle up and down pivot. Is this a method worth continuing?
It depends on what size jar (actually it depends on how much alcohol you're adding to the vanilla pods in that jar). For the home baker, the FDA requirements equal 0.10 ounces of vanilla beans in every 1 ounce of spirits. If you’re using average-sized vanilla beans, 6 to 8 beans equal one ounce. For plumper vanilla beans, 1 to 3 beans equal one ounce. For smaller vanilla beans, you’ll need 15 or more to make up one ounce. I got a 2 pounds a relatively inexpensive vanilla pods online in 2015 or 2016. I chopped up 1.5 pounds and added about 3 L vodka. I decanted several bottles after 8 months, and left the rest to continue steeping. I just decanted the last of it this month! So, if you have the money and like the product, it's worth continuing. You will probably like the results better if you wait at least 6 months, though :)
I agree with everything Chandra said. You'll definitely need more time at the beginning, vodka, and pods. When I started my homemade extract a few years ago I believe I had made 15-20 pods and about half a bottle of vodka for each of my 3 jars I made. I steeped them for just about 6 months in my pantry and made sure to agitate them 1-2 times per week. Now every time I use a pod I add it to one of the containers and I adjust the alcohol content regularly.
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@@VintageAtticHideaway Subscribe to Hiloba on RUclips, get to know the beautiful village food and subscribe to the channel
I bought pure crystalline vanillin a few years ago. It’s a small bottle but is equal to 600 gallons worth of real vanilla extract!
I love Dan😉🥰🤣. I’m adding to my baking knowledge thanks to him- give him a raise 🎉😂
Oh, so the cookies are basically small "Melon Pans," Those are one of my favorite types of desert breads.
Dan is the best! The star of ATK on RUclips!!!
Thank you Dan, always a pleasure....
It's better than real vanilla because it is 1/20th the price. I don't care if it is made from beaver butt glands. I am not paying ridiculous amounts to eradicate an ever-endangered orchid just so cookies can temporarily taste "authentic". Food goes in. Food goes out.
I've only ever used real vanilla extract, but this video and others recently make me feel I should pick up some imitation for my cookie baking.
This might be why I prefer the old, pre-2014 Nestle Crunch bars to today's Ferrero's Crunch bars. When Nestle sold off their candies to Ferrero, the new manufacturer slightly changed the recipes for everything. Why buy something that's popular and selling well and then change it? I don't know; I'll never understand it. Anyway... I noticed a difference, but couldn't quite put my finger on it. Simply put, all of a sudden, Crunch bars neither smelled nor tasted like they had my entire life, so that hit of nostalgia is now gone.
Come to find out, one of the changes they made was replacing the vanillin with vanilla extract. Now it makes sense why the new Crunch bars have a noticeably different smell and taste... at least to me.
👏👏every sweet baked good in my house gets at least a tsp of vanilla regardless of recipe