In article >,
"Bob (this one)" > wrote:

> Katra wrote:
> > In article .com>,
>
>
> Actually, there aren't very many people who can tell the difference

I can. :-P
There is just a certain "fake-ness" about fake vanilla!
It's gross.

Do you drink flavored coffee's? Can't STAND the damn things and even the
smell of the vanilla flavored coffee brewing makes me nauseous!

If I want vanilla in my coffee, I'll add some of the "real stuff" after
it's brewed! The real extract just has that certain flavor. The fake
stuff is just insidious. :-P

> between the various grades of extract or the synthetic flavorings. It's
> perhaps within the realm of possibility you're one, but a rather
> distinguished tasting panel put together by Cooks Illustrated came up
> with some surprising results. They preferred the imitation vanilla to
> the extract in everything tested. These were no rookies, but skilled
> professionals with developed palates.

Ok, so, send me two unmarked vials in the mail. ;-)
This e-mail works for me and I'll even pay for it.

>
> As usual, Sheldon is mostly full of crap when he pontificates about what
> gets cooked and what doesn't and how hot they get. "Past boiling..." Right.

<lol>

>
> > There are a lot of dessert chefs that I've seen on the cooking shows
> > (especially the ones on the stuff done at the teaching schools) that
> > don't use vanilla extract. They split the beans open and scrape them
> > out, and use the mush that is inside of the beans for direct flavoring.
>
> There are just as many who will tell you that searing meat seals in the
> juices. Science is coming to the kitchen, but slowly.

So you feel that vanilla extract is just as good as pure vanilla pulp?

>
> > I've never tried that, but I scored a number of fresh and inexpensive
> > beans off of ebay that are residing in my refrigerator right now that I
> > intend to try that with. ;-d
>
> If they're inexpensive, they're suspect. Vanilla and saffron keep
> changing places to be the most expensive flavoring agent. As for fresh,
> that's not what you want. You want dry, dark brown, almost crisp,
> obviously dessicated beans. They should be stored in a cool, dry place,
> not a fridge where they might get some condensation on them and grow molds.

Sorry, I mis-spoke myself. These look like long slender raisins and are
currently residing in a closed glass spice jar in the 'frige. Guess I
should take them out of there. ;-)

>
> Pastorio

--
K.

Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

There is no need to change the world. All we have to do is toilet train the world and we'll never have to change it again. -- Swami Beyondanada

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