Choosing the best vanilla

For several years the world supply of vanilla products has been affected by the failure of crops in a number of significant countries, among them Indonesia. This has given rise to a flood of synthetic vanilla products, found widely throughout supermarkets, which consumers have become accustomed to.

Sadly, many people have now forgotten the magical aroma and rich flavour of genuine, quality vanilla.

At The Essential Ingredient, we have insisted on only ever sourcing genuine vanilla products, which has led to significant price increases over the last few years. The great news is that, with crops in Indonesia again returning a bountiful harvest, these magnificent vanilla beans are now more affordable.

With plump, fruity beans and vibrantly fragrant, flavourful seeds, our new supplies of vanilla beans are some of the best we've ever seen. One sniff and you'll be conjuring desserts and plotting cakes to take advantage of this incredible ingredient.

Should a recipe call for it, The Essential Ingredient Madagascan Vanilla Extract is a great alternative to whole beans. Unlike more commonly available products, which are produced with artificial vanilla aroma, our extract is made by infusing genuine beans and seeds in flavourless alcohol, leaving it richly scented and flavourful without that common 'tinny' aftertaste.

The Essential Ingredient Vanilla Bean Paste is packed with the seeds from premium Madagascan Planifolia vanilla beans, with just a small spoonful replacing the need to scrape the seeds from the beans yourself.

If you love the flavour of vanilla (and who doesn't...?), and want to ensure your getting the real thing, visit your nearest The Essential Ingredient store, or buy online for delivery to anywhere in Australia.