raw vanilla???

[Katie P]

how do you buy raw vanilla....i want to add it to my smoothies?

[SevenKindsOfCookie]

I buy my vanilla from The Organic Vanilla Bean Company, though most of their beans seems to be out of stock at the moment.
I personally use bourbon beans which are probably not considered raw, but I prefer them over the tahitan in the food I make.

This is what they say on the subject:

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.

[spicyfull]

Usually in a Bean, a Dark Brown Long BEAN and you scrape the inside out.