Using Vanilla pods
The entire bean is filled with flavor and, in fact, the pod has more flavor than the seeds. You can cut the bean and use a portion at a time or you can use the whole bean, depending on the depth of flavor you wish. To cut open a bean, lay it flat on a cutting surface. Holding one end of the bean to the surface, carefully slice the bean open lengthwise. When you separate the bean, thousands of tiny seeds are exposed. By cutting the bean open before placing it in a liquid, more of the surface of the bean is exposed, and the greater the flavoring properties. You may choose to remove the seeds from the pod before using the bean.

Vanilla Beans

There are many species of vanilla thriving around the world; about 110 species have been catalogued since the discovery of vanilla. The plant that produces the vanilla bean is an orchid. The family to which the species belongs is Orchidaceae, one of the largest families of flowering plants in the world. There are 700 genera in the family Orchidaceae and approximately 20,000 species.

Make Your Own Vanilla Extract

Split five vanilla beans lengthwise down the center to expose the seeds, keeping the ends of the beans intact. Place beans in a pint of high-quality vodka, rum or brandy. Store in a cool, dark place such as a cupboard or closet for at least four weeks. Shake the bottle several times a week.

To use, either remove four of the beans for another purpose (you can add them with a fresh bean to make more extract, or you can use them for cooking), or let all the beans remain in the bottle, and periodically, add more alcohol to keep the bottle replenished. Eventually the beans will lose their strength but they should contain flavor for many months.

Vanilla Curing

Vanilla is made by drying and curing the green, tasteless pod from a tropical, climbing orchid that is indigenous to South America. The curing process takes up to 3 months and by the time it is completed, a Vanilla Bean may have been handled from between 200 to 250 times!

Tahitian Vanilla

Tahitian vanilla the generic name for Vanilla tahitensis. This variety originates from plant stock taken to Tahiti, which probably mutated in the wild. Now regarded as a different species, it’s appearance and flavour is considerably different to Bourbon vanilla. Tahitian vanilla is sweet and fruity and contains less natural vanillin. It has a floral fragrance and the bean is fatter and moister than Bourbon vanilla.

Vanilla Beans, Vanilla Extract, Vanilla Powder of the Finest Quality