Vanilla Bean, Whole Madagascar Bourbon, Nielsen Massey

Cultivated and cured on the Bourbon Island of Madagascar, each vanilla bean is hand-selected for its freshness and rich fragrance. The full, sweet, creamy and mellow flavor with velvety after-tones is long-lasting and found in both the bean and the seeds. The vanilla seeds add gourmet visual delight to a variety of applications, from cooking to baking as well as cold and frozen desserts.

• Sweet ideas: crème anglaise, crème brûlée, custards, puddings, yogurt, gelato, ice cream
• Savory ideas: glazes for poultry, seafood and pork
• Beverage ideas: sangria, cream soda floats, amaretto sour
• Other ideas: natural car deodorizer

Chef’s notes: To scrape a vanilla bean, start from the center, cutting a slit with the tip of a sharp knife. Spread the bean apart to expose the seeds and scrape with the dull side of the knife. Scrape the sticky seeds off the side of the knife. Repeat with the other side of the bean. Delicious vanilla flavor is found in both the bean and the seeds, so try to use both. As long as the bean still possesses its characteristic aroma and is moist and pliable, you can rinse, dry and use it again.