Cooking For Engineers

JDR · Guest

Without getting too exotic and esoteric, what is your recommendation for a top rate vanilla extract?

Michael Chu · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 1654 Location: Austin, TX (USA)

Believe it or not, I really like the flavor of Costco's Kirkland Signature 100% Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Pure Extract.

kgb1001001 · Joined: 21 Dec 2005 Posts: 108

I actually like Penzey's double-strength extract -- Always seems to give recipes that extra something...

GaryProtein · Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 535

JDR · Guest

Unfortunately I don't think the Costco empire stretches to the eastern US.

Michael Chu · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 1654 Location: Austin, TX (USA)

Where in the east are you? I thought Costco was everywhere! Smile

http://www.costco.com/Warehouse/Location.aspx?country=United%20States&whse=BC&lang=en-US

GaryProtein · Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 535

Michael Chu · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 1654 Location: Austin, TX (USA)

I have friends in Japan that frequent (well, once every few months) the Costco near them (2 hours away) to get food stuffs like peanut butter that don't exist there (they have a peanut cream that's not at all like peanut butter).

JDR · Guest

I live in Asheville, North Carolina. No Costco here. We are not too excited about "Big Box" stores. When Forbes magazine did a profile piece on Asheville they commented that the downtown had 55 restaurants, and none of them was a chain! Asheville is a town of 80,000 people.

IndyRob · Joined: 17 Dec 2006 Posts: 77

Speaking of Vanilla extract, does anyone know if there has been some sort of vanilla production revolution in the past 20 years? I use vanilla only occasionally, so I haven't paid much attention. But it seems like - back in the day - real vanilla extract was very expensive and imitation vanilla extract ruled the store shelves. But now it seems that real vanilla extract is the norm. Or have they loosened the rules concerning labeling?

[Edit]

I just tried to find the answer for myself at wikipedia but there's only a short entry. But I found this interesting quote:

"In order for a vanilla extract to be called pure, the FDA requires that the solution contain a minimum of 35% alcohol and 13.35 ounces of vanilla bean per gallon"

Whoa - wouldn't that make pure vanilla extract 70 proof?

GaryProtein · Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 535

Guest · Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:05 am Post subject:

CookNewb · Guest

oops I posted the above reply as "Guest".

Anyways, I've noticed that the CostCo house brand vanilla extract has been dropping in price ever since they got rid of the other brand they were selling. Even now, when everything is becoming more expensive because of the price of oil going up, the CostCo vanilla extract's price has not increased. I think that originally it used to be $10-$11 per bottle, but now its under $7.