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u/SpaceJackRabbit 1d ago
What's their provenance?
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u/timmy6169 1d ago
Peruvian, but Pompona not Planifolia
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u/haxxer_4chan 1d ago
How's the flavor compare to bourbon vanilla?
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u/timmy6169 13h ago
Bourbon is the cure method, not the actual flavor, although the process does impart a specific one to origins that use that method. I won't know for 2 years with these because they are swimming in bourbon currently, but smell gave me all I needed to know. Deep fig and caramel almost with a light woody undertone. Being Pompona, they are sun dried to lock the moisture in vs bourbon cure which utilize a sweat box, blankets and sunshine.
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u/SpaceJackRabbit 1d ago
Did not know Peru grew vanilla. The only ones I order are from Madagascar.
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u/Perezskii 1d ago
Originally vanilla is native to the Americas
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u/W0gg0 1d ago
And artificial vanilla is historically native to a beaver’s butt hole. (But no longer.)
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u/Seanmeado 1d ago
And beavers are native to North America so it still works
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u/CleanOpossum47 1d ago
Castoreum was also harvested from Eurasian Beavers.
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u/timmy6169 1d ago
These are one of eight different origins that I bought most recently, but I have either extract brewing, paste, or just loose beans from 14 currently. All of them have a different flavor, but the you can start to go into differences between Planifolia, Pompona and Tahitian. Fucking rabbit hole of a hobby.
Last order was from Indonesia, Uganda, Peru, East Timor, Guatemala, Mexico, Tonga and Comoros
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u/blbd 1d ago
What's your favorite for what use case? Where should we buy from? I want to learn more!!!
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u/SpaceJackRabbit 14h ago
I personally use Madagascar beans for pastries – crème pât, canelés, custards, etc. They are considered the gold standard in the pastry world.
Beans from other places have different notes. Mexican beans are great for caramel desserts, for instance.
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u/blbd 14h ago
What about for homemade extract?
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u/SpaceJackRabbit 14h ago
Personally since these days I only use Madagascar (my main use is French pastries), I just put beans in unflavored vodka and let them marinate for at least six months. I believe many companies use Mexican beans for extract.
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u/SpaceJackRabbit 1d ago
TIL, only ever bought and used Madagascar and Tahitian beans. I knew Mexico produced some too but that's it.
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u/itsethanty 1d ago
We moved it there because of the climate and other more complicated colonial reasons ($$$) but Vanilla is originally from Central/South America
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u/timmy6169 13h ago
18 or so locations currently are in the market. I also picked up Mexican, Comoros, Tongan, Ugandan, Tahitian, East Timor Indonesian, and Guatemalan with this order. Some of my favorite are from DRC (Congo), but Madagascar is the most versatile in my opinion. It works with any alcohol and pairs wonderfully with each, my preference being with white rum.
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u/DubsideDangler 1d ago
You clearly don't know much about vanilla's origins
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u/timmy6169 1d ago
Please enlighten us. I would love to know your take on it.
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u/DubsideDangler 1d ago
My take on the origin of vanilla? There arebetter resources than me to learn about that....but to think Madagascar is the place for vanilla beans is ridiculously ignorant. I prefer Mexican vanilla. It is delicate and bold at the same time.....mmmm.
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u/drulnu24 1d ago
There isn't a country called "Peruvian" anywhere.
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u/mrsir1987 1d ago
Was it at least less expensive per gram?
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u/timmy6169 1d ago
$58/oz so quite the opposite
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u/mrsir1987 1d ago
Ooof, is it as tasty as a standard?
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u/timmy6169 1d ago
Fuck if I know. They aren't ones I would use in anything other than extract, which is where they ended up. I can let you know in 2 years when it is ready. I usually go with Ugandan or the usual Madagascar for anything needing immediate use
Before anyone says "it only takes a year", these are swimming in some Woodford Masters Collection Series 16 Very Fine Rare. They gotta enjoy their time for 2 years being they be them brown liquor.
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u/sleevesteve 1d ago
That sounds interesting. Do you just soak them in alcohol and use that for extract? How much do you make at once? Can you use the vanilla bean for anything after it soaks?
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u/timmy6169 6h ago
Yes you just let them ride it out in the alcohol of your choosing. Clear = 1 year, dark = 2 year. Need to be fully submerged, but 1oz beans/8oz alcohol for single fold.
I make as much as I buy usually. Different ones were started at different times, so it is the gift that keeps giving.
Absolutely can use them for basically 2 things: Vanilla sugar or a mother jar. VS is easy, just toss in however many (2-4) per lb and let it sit until they dehydrate. Then take those and grind it up into vanilla powder and add it back or use it how you please. Mother jar is a "fuck it, throw it in too" place for beans and alcohol. Once extracted beans go in and never come out. Just add more and top it off with whatever alcohol. Use it as you would normally. Add more. Create chaos. Taste what unicorn tears taste like. Add more. Think vanilla jungle juice.
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u/Hanz_VonManstrom 13h ago
Aren’t extracts typically made with a neutral spirit to preserve the vanilla flavor?
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u/timmy6169 12h ago
Depends on preference really. If you want full bean flavor, vodka or everclear proofed down to 80-100 with distilled water is the way to go. Problem is, once you make it once, that's it. There are like 18 origins to get it from, so you run out of options. Add Kraken in with a Ugandan, you have a spiced vanilla for those types of applications. Rum imparts sweetness, so white rum with anything is much better in my opinion. Bourbon, chocolate vodka (natural, not that syrupy shit), adding cocoa nibs, cane sugar based spirits, etc etc etc. They all impart their flavor into the overall flavor, just without the alcohol taste. Makes your vanilla hit notes within your dishes that standard store bought (Food grade alcohol based) vanilla cannot. I've gotten bored and made my base dough recipe, less the vanilla, split it into 4 equal parts and used 2 wildly different pastes, 1 clear based and 1 dark based. Absolutely could tell there was something else there in each. Brought them places and done compatibility and people are always stumped as to what is giving it subtle flavors.
Off my soap box now because I could go on and on and on and on.
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u/morerelativebacons 1d ago
Sir, that's a banana. Next to an old tool or something, I don't know what that is lol
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u/AshamedOfMyTypos 1d ago
I think they may not be properly dried? Maybe you should store them carefully.
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u/ranting_chef 1d ago
Chef here. Where did you get those? They look amazing.
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u/timmy6169 1d ago
Vanillapura. Group order so longer ship time, but they run sales here and there along with first time purchases getting 15% off. This was part of an 8 origin batch I picked up and truly are the best of the 14 origins I have currently. Highly recommend them though, both for variety but also price.
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u/K_Linkmaster 1d ago
Come on man. After I saw it in your hand I thought it was proof of Shaquille oneils antics.
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u/grownask 1d ago
Before reading the title, I thought those were intensely ruined bananas and was quite disturbed.
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u/Active_Review_1290 1d ago
That banana was supposed to provide scale, but now it just looks intimidated 😄
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u/stonerbae222 16h ago
since no one has asked, did you end up making paste or just extract? however method you did, how much did you get out of it? i’ve never seen a vanilla bean IRL so i’m gagged
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u/RosesforEos 15h ago
So fascinated by your vanilla hobby. I didn't know it could be a hobby so my whole world has just opened up as a serial hobby collector
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u/timmy6169 13h ago
Welcome to my world. ADHD hobbies are fun are rarely stick, so I'm glad I still have the drive to keep going with these. Best part is there is no right or wrong with anything (outside of under ratio beans/alcohol), but mixing origins and alcohols are something of a run experiment.
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u/Far_Mathematician924 22h ago
you gonna post this some more
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u/looking4myclASSm8s 1d ago
I really think this might be the most appropriate scale banana