It's always worth it.

I love Penzey's but I am tempted by the vanilla on sale at Costco. Vanilla is so expensive!

I took these amazing continuing ed cooking classes in Arlington from a CIA grad/ personal chef / awesome person named Michelle something and I learned so much from her. One of those lessons was that most chefs use imitation vanilla - there was a specific reason but I forgot why.

Anonymous wrote:I bake a lot, but mainly to feed my family of teenage boys, who are just shoving food down the piehole. Have you tried Nielsen Massey or Penzey's vanilla? Does it make a discernable flavor difference?

Cooks cookie vanilla is worth every penny

I haven’t used Penzey’s vanilla, so I don’t know if it’s any better, or even as good, as any other brand.

However, I noticed that Penzey’s is running a sale on vanilla until Sunday, so if you do decide to try it, you might want to check the offers on their website soon.

OP I did a blind taste test once with white cake between neilson Massey the synthetic brand from restaurant depot. I couldn’t tell and neither could any of my volunteers.

Maybe for vanilla ice cream it would matter more but I’m not convinced. I still use real vanilla because I can and I want to use real ingredients when possible, but I don’t think it makes a taste difference.

Yes, it’s worth it because I would rather my kids not eat artificial garbage. Plus it tastes way better. If I’m going through the effort to bake, I use quality ingredients

Does anyone have any thoughts on vanilla paste? I see a jar at TJ Max every once in awhile. I am not a frequent baker anymore (grown kids), but do enjoy sugar cookies at Christmas.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I make my own by buy vanilla pods from penzy's and then aging them in cheap vodka.

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/homemade-vanilla-extract-recipe

So close, but then you dropped it, PP!

Make your own, but use good bourbon (or rum, if that's your preference, or at least good vodka).

LOL! I use DH's good vodka for mine. It's not rocket science, but you do need time and patience.

-DP

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our chef only uses Nielsen Massey Bourbon Vanilla Paste.

We fly our chef to Madagascar twice a year to harvest the choicest beans himself.

Only Madagascar? How limiting and provincial. So many other fine quality beans.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our chef only uses Nielsen Massey Bourbon Vanilla Paste.

We fly our chef to Madagascar twice a year to harvest the choicest beans himself.

Only Madagascar? How limiting and provincial. So many other fine quality beans.

Anonymous wrote:I make my own by buy vanilla pods from penzy's and then aging them in cheap vodka.

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/homemade-vanilla-extract-recipe

So close, but then you dropped it, PP!

Make your own, but use good bourbon (or rum, if that's your preference, or at least good vodka).

Anonymous wrote:I bake a lot, but mainly to feed my family of teenage boys, who are just shoving food down the piehole. Have you tried Nielsen Massey or Penzey's vanilla? Does it make a discernable flavor difference?

I think you mostly answered your own question: "shoving food down the piehole". Use cheap.

The general answer though is, have both.

Use fresh bean for things where vanilla is the forward ingredient, or where the scrapings are appropriate for presentation and flavor, say like a creme brulee or fresh whipped cream.

Use imitation for dishes where vanilla is buried among other flavors. Always use imitation for piehole shovers.

I make my own by buy vanilla pods from penzy's and then aging them in cheap vodka.

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/homemade-vanilla-extract-recipe

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bake a lot, but mainly to feed my family of teenage boys, who are just shoving food down the piehole. Have you tried Nielsen Massey or Penzey's vanilla? Does it make a discernable flavor difference?

Yes it makes a difference but not to a bunch of teenage boys. We keep both imitation and pure vanilla (and clear because I like to decorate and don’t want the discoloration).

This is good advice. You can get a big 'ol bottle of the imitation stuff (maybe from a bking store or amazon? I only see small bottles at the grocery store) for choc chip cookies, etc. Then keep a good bottle for things like homemade creme anglaise or whipped cream or other vanilla focused things.