Have You Seen The Price Of Vanilla Extract?

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

WOW!
I just came back from Costco, where I was aiming to purchase some more Pure Vanilla Extract as well as Pecans for my baking.
WOW WOW WOW!
Kirkland Signature Pure Vanilla Extract was priced (today) at $34.99 for a 16 ounce bottle…
WHAT?!
I had read an article a while back that stated the price of Vanilla would be going up and this was one of the reasons that I decided to look for more, even though I still have maybe 4 or 5 ounces left in my pantry.

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/why_is_vanilla_extract_so_expensive_right_now/

It seems that it’s not going to get better any time soon.

What I did find that seemed interesting and something I had not heard of was Rodelle Organic Baker’s Extract at $8.79 for a 16 ounce bottle.



I may just bake something with this new extract, alongside the same recipe using the remainder of my Kirkland Pure Vanilla Extract as a taste test.

Has anyone used this Baker's Extract yet?
I've only found one review (on Amazon) by someone other than this companies.

 

[GotGarlic]

I started making homemade vanilla extract almost five years ago, with a kit from TJ Maxx (a pretty bottle and three vanilla beans, fill with cheap vodka) for $7.99 and have been adding to it ever since. I bought 15 or so vanilla beans through Amazon two years ago and when I need to add more vodka to the bottle, I add another vanilla bean. I've also been making vanilla sugar with the beans

I'm lucky that I bought the vanilla beans before the price went way up, but I think it's still more cost effective to make it at home.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Another vote for making your own signature extract.

Try using light rum, bourbon, cognac, vodka as the base and add a couple of split vanilla beans. Let it sit in a cool dark place and give the bottle a shake every time you see it.

If you do a search you will find a couple of old threads that deal with making vanilla extract at home.

Good luck!

 

[caseydog]

Make you own. I make a big batch for all my friends who bake as holiday gifts. It is easy, although it takes time. And my baking friends tell me mine blows the expensive store-bought stuff away.

Find some fresh vanilla beans. I used to get them from COSTCO, but have no seen them there recently. I'm sure they are available all over the interwebs. Then, get some decent quality Vodka. I use Stoli.

I use eight vanilla beans to a pint of vodka. I slice the beans lengthwise, but don't scrape out the beans. I put the beans in my pint mason jars, add my vodka, and let them do their thing for a minimum of three months. Every few days -- as often as you remember to do it -- agitate the jars briefly. Nothing aggressive, just mix it all up.

My homemade vanilla is not only good enough for baking and cooking, but good enough to sip right out of the bottle. I challenge you to do that with store-bought vanilla. I have made vanilla-coke cocktails with it, and it is amazing. Just my vanilla extract and some cola over ice cubes.

Vanilla extract is a prime example of how time, effort and love pay off.

CD

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

All well and good folks to make my own Vanilla Extract, but have you seen the price of Vanilla Beans as well?
5 Tahitian Beans for $19.99 was the best price I saw anyways.
WOW!
Back in my brain somewhere, I seem to recall reading about Vanilla Orchids being grown on Hawaii Island...
Has anyone had any experience with this Baker's Extract yet?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

https://smile.amazon.com/Extract-Vanilla-Slofoodgroup-various-available/dp/B078TXHKCP/ref=sr_1_38_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1523067183&sr=1-38&keywords=vanilla%2Bbeans%2Bwhole&th=1

better price for extract grade.

going to get myself some, it comes out to $2.60 a bean or $2.12 for the 25 pack.

 

[caseydog]

All well and good folks to make my own Vanilla Extract, but have you seen the price of Vanilla Beans as well?
5 Tahitian Beans for $19.99 was the best price I saw anyways.
WOW!
Back in my brain somewhere, I seem to recall reading about Vanilla Orchids being grown on Hawaii Island...
Has anyone had any experience with this Baker's Extract yet?

I have not tasted a single commercially produced vanilla extract that I think is as good as my own -- at any price. Even if the price of vanilla beans are high, you are going to put more time, effort and care into the production of your own extract, and end up with more extract per dollar, and much better tasting extract.

Of course, you always have the option of imitation vanilla extract. That's pretty cheap. It works just fine for Chips Ahoy.

CD

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Rodelle Organics Baker's Extract

Facts

1. Size: available in 16 FL OZ (493 mL) bottles.
2. Ingredient Statement: organic alcohol, organic chocolate extract, water, organic pure vanilla extract, natural flavors
3. Kosher, gluten-free
4. Rodelle does not utilize peanuts or tree-nuts on its production floor or in its products. Contact us for any other allergen questions.

I would try it, knowing it would not be only a vanilla flavor. I trust the Brand, having used their pure extract for years. They explain on the site they created it because of the high cost of vanilla beans.

 

[CakePoet]

But the vanilla harvest has had problems , so the price will go up. We cant pay the farmers pittens , they need money too to survive.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

WOW!
I just came back from Costco, where I was aiming to purchase some more Pure Vanilla Extract as well as Pecans for my baking...

Girl, do not waste pure vanilla extract on baking. I know we've had the real/imitation vanilla discussion on DC before, but like cd said, imitation is good enough for baking, be it Chips Ahoy or your own baked goods.

This link may or may not have been in an earlier thread, but Serious Eats did a taste comparison between real and imitation vanilla. Their results? "...there was one immediately obvious fact: with cooked items like cookies and a cooked ice cream base, tasters could not decide which type of vanilla was best."

Bake with the fake. Use real in uncooked foods (egg nog, uncooked ice cream base, etc)

 

[tenspeed]

I vaguely recall reading that vanilla bean prices have been gyrating for at least a century due to political instability in Madagascar, weather, and attempts to control the supply and raise prices. Part of the recent price rise is due to consumer demand for natural products, with the demand for natural vanilla outstripping the supply. Here's a little more info for those interested:

https://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i36/problem-vanilla.html

 

[CakePoet]

But fake vanilla is seldom a nice flavour, in Sweden we use vanilla sugar, it form of fine powder not liquid and the Vanillia is the fake and it taste fake.

 

[GotGarlic]

But fake vanilla is seldom a nice flavour, in Sweden we use vanilla sugar, it form of fine powder not liquid and the Vanillia is the fake and it taste fake.

Did you read the article? Taste testers could not decide which was better in baked goods. Cooks Illustrated did a taste test, too, and their results were the same.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Since I rarely bake anymore, I use real vanilla extract in my Keto coffee and in egg dishes that need a sweet note. Fake vanilla adds a bitter note.

 

[CakePoet]

GotGarlic: I can only get powder here and there is a flavour difference, as Fiona says one is slightly bitter.

 

[GotGarlic]

GotGarlic: I can only get powder here and there is a flavour difference, as Fiona says one is slightly bitter.

Well, I asked if you had read the article, not what kind you use, which you already mentioned

The articles I'm talking about are specifically doing the tastings with baked goods, which is how most people use vanilla extract.

PF said that about using it uncooked in a drink. And maybe she perceives a bitter note, but coffee itself tastes pretty bitter to me, so whether it's that or imitation vanilla will depend on individual taste.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

I seldom bake, and when I do, I think, is there or is there not any vanilla in the cupboard. Better buy some just in case, for that One Teaspoon the recipe calls for.

I think I will bring over a couple bottles vanilla to Dx's when I go over to her house in a little while. Un-opened.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

I tried really hard to like imitation vanilla, but I just can't.
I bought a bottle of Watkins Clear Imitation Vanilla Extract and it was ghastly!!
I hate to admit that I used that one for baked goods that were NOT staying in our house, but went next door to the neighbors, maybe they can't tell the difference, but I surely CAN!!

 

[caseydog]

I tried really hard to like imitation vanilla, but I just can't.
I bought a bottle of Watkins Clear Imitation Vanilla Extract and it was ghastly!!
I hate to admit that I used that one for baked goods that were NOT staying in our house, but went next door to the neighbors, maybe they can't tell the difference, but I surely CAN!!

Did you read the article? Taste testers could not decide which was better...

Even homemade vanilla extract is really pricy right now. The beans are outrageous. I wish I would have made a lot more of it when COSTCO had the beans for about 12 bucks.

But, the price will come down, one way or another. When it does, I'm going to make a few gallons of it before it goes up again.

CD

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Yeah, I know CD, but I'm not sure what to say, I just very much disliked that imitation stuff *shrug*

... and then I have an off-topic question: why with my new camera (same brand/style etc. just a newer model) my photos are coming out side ways?
(but not so any place else, ie my blog, twitter)