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Where to find Natural Pure Vanilla?


Semalu

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There was a huge stand of different varieties at SuperLake just a couple of weeks ago. Not where you'd expect, though: an end cap in the front rows, and they move around a lot. Pure vanilla is something I used to see so often around here I haven't looked for a long time; most stores carried it. I've seen it at WalMart.

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If you want a small, highly concentrated bottle like you'd use in the US--Pancho usually keeps it locked in one of his glass display cases. He keeps some other extracts there as well. I know Pancho has a problem with expats who shoplift so he keeps some stuff under lock and key.

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I was on a mission several months ago for the pure stuff also. I have to put in my vote for El Torito, however they don't always have it. I spoke with Pancho at Super lake and he pulled some cheap stuff off the shelf and swore to me it was pure, I showed him the label and convinced him it wasn't. He promised to pay me 10,000 pesos if I could find "pure" vanilla extract in this area. I did find it at El Torito, but never collected on the 10,000 pesos, I guessed I missed my chance.

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Super lake has Costco's Kirkland brand of pure vanilla. Costco would be cheaper if you are going there anyway. Super lake also has a Mexican brand in a squarish shape bottle with a big cap.

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"Posa" brand comes in TWO forms --- one is artificial, and the other (label is mostly darkish-orange, with some flowers and beans on the front) SAYS: (translated where needed -- some is in English)

Natural Vanilla Flavoring

Pure Natural

On side in TINY print: Guaranty: Free of coumarin contents

Ingredients: Water, alcohol, Monopropyleneglycol, Natural coloring, Vainillin, Vanilla Bean Extracts, potassium sorbate 0.1% (preservative)

Is this natural enough for you? Have gotten at El Torito in past, but more recently at SuperLake -- but you have to watch, because the artificial stuff (same brand) is near by. Clue is bottle size and price.

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Every couple of years a vanilla extract thread pops up so I go into the pantry to see what I have…one is a 150 ml bottle of "ProGourmet" brand "Extracto Natural de Vainilla". Ingredients: Agua, alcohol y oleorresina de vainas de vanilla. Mexican product, most likely bought at El Torito, possibly Walmart.

Then a large 473 mL bottle of Kirkland Extracto Natural de Vainilla. Ingredients: Extracto de vainas de vanilla en agua, alcohol (35%) y azúcar. Obviously purchased at Costco, made in USA.

I've used POSA vanilla before also and it seemed fine to me. In fact, I expected to find it in the pantry and wanted to check it against the info posted by Natasha, but I must have used it all up.

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It's all an interesting discussion, because even experts disagree on the difference in taste between pure vanilla/extract and imitation or flavoring. Some websites show that lots of imitation vanillas made it into the list of "yes, would use it"... and in taste tests in cakes and custard and so on, no one can tell the difference. I sure don't drink it right out of the bottle; it's always put into something else.

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Every couple of years a vanilla extract thread pops up so I go into the pantry to see what I have…one is a 150 ml bottle of "ProGourmet" brand "Extracto Natural de Vainilla". Ingredients: Agua, alcohol y oleorresina de vainas de vanilla. Mexican product, most likely bought at El Torito, possibly Walmart.

Then a large 473 mL bottle of Kirkland Extracto Natural de Vainilla. Ingredients: Extracto de vainas de vanilla en agua, alcohol (35%) y azúcar. Obviously purchased at Costco, made in USA.

I've used POSA vanilla before also and it seemed fine to me. In fact, I expected to find it in the pantry and wanted to check it against the info posted by Natasha, but I must have used it all up.

So, Travis -- you didn't trust me to take the info right off the label of my OWN bottle? :010:

Anyway, regardless of WHAT brand a person buys (pure or artificial), the BIGGIE (especially here in Mexico, apparently) is to be sure the label indicates GUARANTEED COUMARIN FREE.

I learned this so many years ago (and googled it at the time) that I can't remember why, but I DO remember coumarin can pose quite a health hazard.

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So, Travis -- you didn't trust me to take the info right off the label of my OWN bottle? :010:

No, no, no. I guess I wasn't clear. I just wanted to make sure I didn't grab the WRONG bottle of POSA! :lol:

But I evidentially used it all up. So it must have been fine.

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Thanks all, I had hoped to find some from one of the people that grew and sold their own, like they had at Chili cook off one year, and someone used to sell it at the Monday market too. But I will go to Torito first, which is closer for me. Here is another buyer beware story. I just found some vacuum packed beans while I was downtown yesterday and snapped them up. When I got home I had another look at them and noticed the label in very very fine print said Expiry 12/2012!

Best to read the label first I guess!

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