Cheap vanilla beans!

[roseyonnex]

This was posted on the recipes section, so I thought I would move it here. Very good prices on vanilla beans!

http://www.organic-vanilla.com/servlet/StoreFront

[Veganforlife]

Yes, I saw that!

[fruitandveggies]

Wow, those are cheap!!

[RawKnitster]

I ordered a pack of 40 beans, 20 bourbon and 20 tahitian. With shipping included, it's 45 cents per bean.

Lot of good info on that site. Tells in detail how to store and use the beans.

I didn't know organic beans needed to be aired out for 15 minutes every 2 months. Didn't used to buy more than a few because they dried out. Now I'm educated. Thanks.

[debilana]

I just learned a TON about vanilla! thanks for posting!

[roseyonnex]

You're welcome! I've been wanting to buy some for awhile now, but they were all so expensive, so I was delighted to find this site posted in the recipes section. Can't wait to try them.

[queenfluff]

Wow! great prices! Thanks!

Just wondering: I don't think I have tried both kinds Taihtan and Bourbon. Does any one have a taste comparsion on them?

I normally use the extract because the beans are so expensive.

[Veganforlife]

Check this out:

http://www.organic-vanilla.com/servlet/Page?template=a-buy

Tasting Notes:
These notes may vary slightly with the specific growing area, curing process and other factors.
- Bourbon: Butter, licorice, green peas, citrus, antiseptic cream, milk chocolate, brown fruit, vanillin
- Tahitian: Butter, licorice, citrus, fruity, chocolate, nutty, toffee, vanillin

[debilana]

I ordered the 7.50 sampler that has 10 of each. so soon I can see for myself=)

[SuzyQ]

That is so nice of you to do that! I was going to get 3 beans from the local store here and they were going to cost $12.75! I put them back! Now I will order and thanks to you, will have real Vanilla beans.

[Eva]

So enticing because I have recently switched to using the bean rather than the alcohol stuff. Slowly but surely, I'm removing the questionable non-raw items from my life. I noticed on their site that the beans are heated at 135-140 degrees for several minutes and am wondering if this means that all vanilla beans are not raw. :confused:

Or if this is OK -- like when I use my dehydrator for the first hour or two at 135 so that my D items do not develop mold?

Either way, I'm not sure I would want to order from this company since it could take a bazillion years for the beans to get to me here. My mom sent a package priority mail, and the thing took 3 weeks. Then I had to go across the city and jump through 17 hoops before finally identifying myself and signing for my birthday box.

That's all another story, though! Thanks for posting the info. And I look forward to anyone's input on vanilla beans' "rawness". :)

[queenfluff]

Check this out:

http://www.organic-vanilla.com/servlet/Page?template=a-buy

Tasting Notes:
These notes may vary slightly with the specific growing area, curing process and other factors.
- Bourbon: Butter, licorice, green peas, citrus, antiseptic cream, milk chocolate, brown fruit, vanillin
- Tahitian: Butter, licorice, citrus, fruity, chocolate, nutty, toffee, vanillin

Thanks!

Funny how for the Bourbon ones you have both "green pea" and "Milk chocolate" in the same tastes. :)

They both sound good. I think the tahitian would be more my tastes. Anything that tastes like toffee is great in my book. How I miss toffee!

Which ever one is stronger actually would be great too. (stonger taste, less I use = lasts longer). I might still order both just to try them both out and see. :)

[roseyonnex]

Yeah, they are probably not raw, I'm guessing.

But are most vanilla beans raw, or are they toasted? I really don't know.

I don't worry too much about spices if they are raw, but that's just me. I don't mind eating organic cooked in small doses. But you got to do what is right for yourself.

[roseyonnex]

I just got my vanilla beans today....they came really, really fast. So I looked at where they came from, and they are from Breckenridge, CO, about 45 minutes from where I live and did live for ten years. That's funny! (I guess I just was assumin they would not come from a ski town.)

I got the Tahitian, but next time I will try the bourbon. They might be a little stronger.

Made some great banana ice cream today....can't get enough of that!

[Eva]

Yeah, they are probably not raw, I'm guessing.

But are most vanilla beans raw, or are they toasted? I really don't know.

I don't worry too much about spices if they are raw, but that's just me. I don't mind eating organic cooked in small doses. But you got to do what is right for yourself.

I don't know either. I teeter on the line, and actually I may order some vanilla right away from them. My husband may be sending me a package of something priority mail in the next few weeks, in which case I could just have it shipped to him in the USA first.

I do my best, but I too throw my hands in the air for spices when I can't get them raw. ;)

[Rinda]

So enticing because I have recently switched to using the bean rather than the alcohol stuff. Slowly but surely, I'm removing the questionable non-raw items from my life. I noticed on their site that the beans are heated at 135-140 degrees for several minutes and am wondering if this means that all vanilla beans are not raw. :confused:



I've bought both bourbon and tahitian vanilla beans that they listed as raw on eBay. They must keep some of the bourbon beans raw and some not. I thought I read somewhere on their site that the bourbon ones are heated and that the tahitian ones are left raw.

If you have questions, by all means, contact them. I've had great service with them. Their communication was excellent!

Hope that helps!

By the way, I just checked and found this informationon their website:

Q13. Are cured vanilla beans a Raw Food?

A13. As vanilla Planifolia (Bourbon) is very susceptible to attracting mold and rotting during the sun drying and curing process the ripe green beans are steeped in hot water, (not boiling), for several minutes at 140° - 150F° (60° - 65°C).. Vanilla Tahitensis is never ‘cooked’ at any stage during the curing process and can be described as RAW. Because, Bourbon vanilla is only steeped for a few minutes in warm water, it becomes a mater of interpretation as to whether Bourbon beans are raw or not. Click here for more information.

[Eva]

Thanks Rinda! That's really helpful. :)

[roseyonnex]

Yes, thanks, that is helpful!

[RawKnitster]

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/RawKnitster/DSCF0628-1.jpg
Bourbon bean (left) has an earthy vanilla aroma. Tahitian bean (right) smells lighter and sweeter, also plumper, and very oily.

Received these beautiful beans today, 6 days after placing the order.
This is a sample pack of 40 beans, 20 7" bourbon and 20 6" tahitian.
They are all longer than the 6" size that I ordered. There is an extra bean in each packet. Cost including shipping:$18.00

Going back to the website to review storage procedures. Says with proper care they should last up to two years. Those aren't going to last 3 months in my house, even less since I'm sharing them.

Looking forward to a very vanilla day!

[Jenifae]

Wow! Your beans looks beautiful and how cost effective :)

[Eva]

I just ordered some vanilla -- mostly tahitian since I know it's raw and a small amount of bourbon since it may or may not be raw. :) I'm sending it to my mom so she can take half and send the rest to me in a care package she has ready!

[Raspberry4]

I purchased the beans too from ebay. I have some juices 'oozing' out of the package - sticky stuff. Anyone know what that is and why?

[goobygirl]

Anyone know the best way to prepare these? (or should i just follow what they say to do on the website?)

[Eva]

What do you mean by prepare? To use them in a recipe?

[roseyonnex]

goobygirl,

most people use them by cutting open the barky part and scraping the seeds out with a knife and just putting them in a recipe.

Although, I was reading in one cookbook if you have a Vitamix, you can just throw the entire bean in there and it will grind it up fine enough to where you don't have chunks of bark in your smoothie (or whatever you are making).

HOpe that helps :0)

[Jenifae]

goobygirl,

most people use them by cutting open the barky part and scraping the seeds out with a knife and just putting them in a recipe.

Although, I was reading in one cookbook if you have a Vitamix, you can just throw the entire bean in there and it will grind it up fine enough to where you don't have chunks of bark in your smoothie (or whatever you are making).

HOpe that helps :0)


That's what I do............throw the whole thing in and it's turns out yummy :)

[Eva]

That's what I do............throw the whole thing in and it's turns out yummy :)

Crazy.

Sounds like fun. I went from a VitaMix to almost month struggling to find a blender here to two months with a small but OK enough blender that I then wore out because I pretended it was tireless like my friend VM...

But now, no blender at all. :(

When I get back "home" -- I will be Vitamixin' vanilla beans left and right! That sounds like good fun.

[goobygirl]

Thanks. I wasn't sure if what I was doing was right since the seeds were very tiny. I'll just VM next time.