I was provided with a vanilla sampler to facilitate my review.  As always, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Did You Know?

Did you know that there are two varieties of vanilla?  Vanilla planifolia is what most of us are accustomed to.  It’s native primarily to Mexico & Madagascar, and the beans are often called “Madascar vanilla beans” or “bourbon vanilla beans” (referring to the locality, not the booze).

There is a second variety of vanilla, Vanilla tahitensis, which is grown primarily in — you guessed it — Tahiti.

I did not know any of that until I stumbled across Vanilla from Tahiti, a company producing vanilla extract and other vanilla products from a planifolia/tahitensis cross that carries the flavor profile of the Tahitian beans rather than the Madagascar beans.  (If you want to know a lot more detail about the specifics of vanilla, there’s more on their site.  They also have a book that looks pretty interesting.)

Tahitian Vanilla

Tahitian vanilla, or Vanilla tahitensis (along with this hybrid the company uses) is a luxury, not because it’s better, but because it’s less common.  It isn’t worse, either, of course!  Like chocolate or wine, different vanillas have flavor profiles that are subtly different.

Tahitian vanilla has a deeper, headier, more complex flavor helps “bring out” other flavors in a recipe — like chocolate.  (The Madagascar vanilla has a “cleaner” vanilla flavor that’s better when the vanilla is the dominant flavor in the recipe.)  I find it interesting that the site also says the Tahitian vanilla is sweeter than planifolia vanillas, because the first thing I noticed when I opened it and smelled it was that it smells less sweet.  It’s hard to compare the sweetness of the flavor, though, in an extract, because the alcohol influences that.  (Most vanilla extract is bitter, tasted alone!)

This vanilla sampler makes a great gift, and is a fabulous way to try the vanilla in several different forms.  The box includes 2 vanilla beans, a bottle of vanilla extract (grain-free!), and a small container of vanilla powder.  The powder is literally powdered/ground vanilla; it contains no fillers.  That makes it an excellent choice for those with food sensitivities who want to be sure they’re avoiding any additives.

Specific circumstances (humidity, for instance) will influence your conversions, but, roughly speaking,

1/2-1 tsp. ground vanilla = 2-inch piece of vanilla bean = 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

About the Company

Although Vanilla from Tahiti is not an official Fair Trade-certified company, I was assured that they do employ fair labor practices.