Okay – makes sense, but if the process of making vanilla extract is fairly set in stone, then why does the price vary so much from week to week or month to month? From the hand pollinating to the daily unrolling and rerolling of the ripened vanilla beans, every step of the process comes with its unique challenges and labor needs that really ramps up the overall cost. This means they must be “blanched” (quickly soaked in hot water) to stop the bean from ripening and stimulate an enzyme that helps develop that distinctive vanilla flavor we know and love.Īnd we’re not just talking about time here, but incredible amounts of energy and labor. But before it can be turned into liquid form, vanilla beans must be “cured”. Once the vanilla is finally harvested, much of it used to make vanilla extract. Vanilla is a highly sensitive crop that requires months of tender love and care and can only be grown in very specific conditions, hence why its origin countries are so limited. These are the three main regions where vanilla is grown, and a huge 80% of that comes from Madagascar.

To get to the bottom of these questions, we have to start all the way back in the vanilla farms of Madagascar, Mexico or Tahiti. But what is it actually made of? And what processes does it go through before it ends up as the tasty solution we know and love? To most of us, vanilla extract is simply a popular ingredient that are dessert recipes simply wouldn’t be the same without.

Simply organic vanilla extract