Vanilla 101
25 Days of Vanilla Sugar: A Christmas Baking Countdown
Celebrate the season with 25 creative ways to use vanilla sugar in your Christmas baking! From classic cookies to festive beverages, discover how vanilla sugar elevates every holiday treat.
10 Christmas Desserts That Demand the Very Best Vanilla Extract
Discover 10 Christmas desserts where premium vanilla extract truly shinesβfrom classic crΓ¨me brΓ»lΓ©e and vanilla buttercream to homemade eggnog, panna cotta, cream pies, vanilla hot cocoa, festive cocktails, and elegant pots de crΓ¨me. Learn why cream-based desserts demand the very best vanilla.
100 Cocktails Elevated by DIY Vanilla Extracts: The Ultimate Mixology Guide
Discover 100 cocktails elevated by DIY vanilla extracts! From Madagascar vanilla Old Fashioneds to mocha vanilla Espresso Martinis, spiced extracts in Hot Toddies, citrus vanilla Margaritas, and spirit-based extracts in premium cocktails. Learn how different vanilla origins and infusions transform classic and creative drinks.
5 Ways to Gift Vanilla Extract NowβWithout Waiting for It to Finish
Want to gift vanilla extract but don't want to wait months? Discover 5 creative ways to give vanilla at any stageβfrom DIY starter kits with beans and vodka, to patience gifts that age over time, vanilla sugar, the ultimate extract maker's kit with multiple origins and our best-selling book, or finished extract paired with beans for next year.
5 Thanksgiving Desserts Where Premium Extracts Truly Shine
Discover 5 Thanksgiving desserts and dishes where premium extracts truly shineβfrom pumpkin spice in pies to Madagascar vanilla in crΓ¨me brΓ»lΓ©e and chocolate extract in fudge. Learn how to use your extracts liberally for unforgettable holiday flavor.
Speeding Up Vanilla Extract: Sous Vide Techniques & Why We Don't Recommend Pressure Cookers
Discover safe techniques to speed up homemade vanilla extract using sous vide circulation, why we advise against pressure cookers, and why our best extracts still come from traditional slow aging for complex, smooth flavor.
Thomas Jefferson and Vanilla Ice Cream: Separating Myth from Historical Fact
Explore the truth about Thomas Jefferson and vanilla ice cream. While he didn't invent it, Jefferson's documented love for vanilla beans and his role in popularizing ice cream in America is a fascinating piece of culinary history, supported by primary sources from the Library of Congress and his own account books.
How Madagascar Became the World's Vanilla Capital: A 170-Year Journey
Discover how Madagascar became the world's vanilla capital, producing over 70% of global supply. Learn when vanilla arrived in the 1840s, where the first crops grew in the SAVA region, and why cultivation spread so rapidly across the island to create today's vanilla powerhouse.
Vanilla Cribbiana: The Small, Oily Powerhouse Vanilla Bean from Guatemala and Mexico
Discover Vanilla cribbiana, the small but intensely flavorful vanilla species from Guatemala and Mexico. Learn why these beans are so oily, how they're grown differently from other vanilla species, and how to make exceptional vanilla sugar from their residual oils.
The Only Truly French Vanilla: French Guiana's Unique Geographic Paradox
Discover French Guiana vanillaβthe only truly French vanilla in the world. Learn how this South American territory produces exceptionally sweet vanilla beans that are legally French but geographically share more with Brazilian and Peruvian vanilla.
A History of Cyclones & Hurricanes and Their Impact on Global Vanilla Bean Prices
Discover why vanilla is so expensive and how hurricanes and typhoons devastate vanilla-growing regions. Explore a comprehensive history of major storms from 2010-2024 that have impacted Madagascar, Vanuatu, Indonesia, and other vanilla origins, driving global prices to historic highs.
Vanilla Pompona: Why Peru's Giant Vanilla Beans Are So Remarkably Large
Discover why Vanilla pompona from Peru produces remarkably large beansβoften 8-10 inches long. Explore the botanical, environmental, and cultivation factors that make this vanilla species the giant of the vanilla family.












