Vanilla Essence

novices, May 31, 9:34pm
Which is the best brand to buy please?
jasmeen01, May 31, 10:34pm
Vanilla Extract is the best - Any brand as long as its extract not essence.
cookessentials, May 31, 10:40pm
I use Nielsen Massey personally. it is a pure extract.
maxwell.inc, May 31, 10:41pm
Stuff thats real, that comes from real beans... essence or any of the imitation ones are simply made using chemical by products.

I personally use vanilla paste - made from beans and sugar paste.
indy95, May 31, 11:00pm
Nielsen Massey is probably the best, but almost any pure extract is better than the horrible artificial essences. The bonus with the pure extract is that you need far less of it to get a good vanilla flavour.
cookessentials, May 31, 11:01pm
quite true. I use the paste and the extract-both are great.
willyow, May 31, 11:21pm
There's a nicepure vanilla extract listed on Trademe - mine!
willow99, May 31, 11:22pm
I always just buy hansells. Does the trick here. The smell reminds me of childhood. Yum. Bought the pams stuff once. Yuck! ! !

I have yet to move into the world of pure extracts. I probably should though. I adore vanilla
cookessentials, May 31, 11:31pm
You will certainly notice the difference and it is MUCH better for you.
maxwell.inc, Jun 1, 12:07am
willyow - are these your own grown pods? (ie grown in NZ)
willyow, Jun 1, 12:47am
No - we import from Tahiti, and Reunion. Vanilla isthe seed pod of a tropical orchid and needs 5-6 month of tropical sun to cure - so difficult to cure them here. There's a small glass house with some growing in Tauranga - but I think it's something of showcase - the same people havea huge growing operation in Tonga.
maxwell.inc, Jun 1, 1:44am
ah ok thanks! I knew there was some growing in NZ somewhere as I had seen it on country calendar a few years ago
cookessentials, Jun 1, 1:52am
http://www.heilalavanilla.co.nz/index.html This is also a great vanilla I understand.
tigra, Jun 25, 5:53pm
Vanilla Essence has a 35% alcohol content.