For a really long time, I thought vanilla extract was the same regardless of what you spent on it, and I would just go for the cheapest stuff in the store (which still wasn’t all that cheap!). I learned as a young adult that vanilla from Mexico was some of the best in the world, and after purchasing some on a trip there, I had to admit that there was a substantial difference in the quality of my final product when using the “real” stuff versus the junk I’d been using my entire life. But the problem with getting vanilla from Mexico was just that…you had to go to Mexico to buy it! Needless to say, I’ve been out of that stuff for a few years, and just assumed that high quality vanilla was out of reach for me.
And then I slapped myself for being so silly. In this day and age, you are not limited to what you can physically purchase in a store (duh!), and furthermore, I don’t think American bakers are content to have inferior products when the overall difference in quality is so obvious. There had to be a company out there that sold in the United States AND that created only the finest quality vanilla.
Yes, of course there is. It’s called Nielsen-Massey, and if you start doing research online about vanilla, you will see that this company sets the standard. I had the opportunity to try a type of vanilla product I’d never before heard of, and that’s because Nielsen-Massey has the proprietary rights to it. It’s called Madagascar Pure Vanilla Powder, and it is a VERY cool thing for a baking enthusiast to have in her pantry. It can be sprinkled on something as a topping (we’ve used it on french toast and it was TO DIE FOR!), or you can also add it to baking mixes that might be sensitive to color, and adding that dark vanilla extract might detract from the look you are trying to achieve. Clever, no?
Nielsen-Massey also has an extensive collection of other vanilla products, sure to make any at-home cook drool. Since I’m not too knowledgeable about all the different types of vanilla, I really appreciate that the company has a page dedicated to which type of vanilla to use for various purposes. That eliminates the guess work to ensure that you get the product that best meets your needs.
I also had the opportunity to review the cookbook A Century of Flavor, which celebrates 100 years of Nielsen-Massey as a company and gives you the most tantalizing recipe ideas using their products (from sweet to savory!). You can check out some of their recipes directly from their site, including this Crisp Vanilla Butter Cookie that I will be making, and then devouring, in the next week or so.
Buy it!: While Nielsen-Massey doesn’t offer an online store, they can help you find a local retailer, as well as mail order and internet ordering options from retailers. Bad vanilla doesn’t have to happen to you anymore! Get the good stuff, and taste the difference. You’ll never go back to the grocery store junk, I promise!
Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win the Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder! Woo hoo!
Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.
Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Tried there Vanilla Paste and love it for making ice cream.
Thank you so much, I look forward to baking some cookies!
I would love to try the
Pure Lemon Extract
I would love to try the vanilla sugar. I am pretty sure it would be divine on my scones.
ezmerelda at mail dot com
I would love to try the Pure Chocolate Extract.
i would like to try the pure chocolate extract
marygardner49 at aol dot com
I would also like to try their Almond extract
I would like to try the Pure Chocolate Extract.
kat_emerick@yahoo.com
I would love to try their Mexican Pure Vanilla
Pure Lemon Extract
When baking, I would like to try the Pure Chocolate Extract!
Orange blossoms are my favorite flower, and I saw that they have orange blossom water for sale on their site!! I really want to try that
i had no idea there is vanilla powder -only thought it came in liquid and beans
Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste is something I’ve not worked with yet but would love to .
I would love the vanilla
The pure lemon extract looks good.
I would absolutely love to win this and try the vanilla! I love everything vanilla! Thanks so much for the fantastic giveaway!
Renee Walters
bored2quickly@hotmail.com
Pure Chocolate Extract
emmaspeel(at)gmail.com
i’d like to try vanilla
like to try the Pure Chocolate Extract
Their Organic Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans look great!
Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste – (emscout9 at Hotmail dot com)
Vanilla sugar for me please!
I would like the vanilla sugar
I want to try the pure chocolate extract!
sarasarasweet@aol.com
I would like to try the Pure Chocolate Extract.
I would love to try their fresh vanilla beans.
I’d love to try their Orange Blossom water!
-Marguerite
I’d also love to try the Pure Almond Extract!
Pure Lemon Extract sounds good! jessicapeeling@yahoo.com
the orange blossom water
The vanilla powder sounds incredible. On french toast?! Yum! The orange and chocolate extracts also look good. So does everything else on their site, actually!
i wanna try the pure choco. extract
I want to try the Pure Chocolate Extract. Thanks!
I’d love to try this vanilla or the vanilla bean paste or the coffee extract…well, really anything would be awesome to try since I love to bake!
would love to try the rose water
Madagascar Bourbon vanilla sounds great
The Pure Coffee Extract sounds awesome! But, all the stuff on there sounds awesome
jason(at)allworldautomotive(dot)com
“I have been wanting to try the vanilla for a long time!
I would love to try thi I have never used a vanilla powder before! I use vanilla every day in something or another!
Pure Chocolate Extract
vanilla powder looks great
i would love to try this vanilla
tmarie56@hotmail.com
I’d love to try their Rose Water and Orange Blossom Water
Pure Lemon Extract
This is the only vanilla brand I will use, discovered them while living in England and fell in love! I love their Vanilla paste. Would love to try some of their other flavorings though, like the orange.
I would like to try the Whole Vanilla Beans.
Pure Almond Extract
I would like to try the Vanilla paste or the Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla.
I would also like to try their Pure Peppermint Extract!
I would like to try the Spicy Mexican Vanilla!
I would like to try the Tahitian Pure Vanilla.
i love the Organic Vanilla Extract
I’m a bit of a vanilla snob, but I’ll admit I haven’t tried Nielsen Massey. I’m intrigued by their vanilla paste. Seems like a nice way to keep the yummy part of vanilla beans without them going bad before you can use them!
Peppermint sounds good.
Thanks for the chance.
mogrill12@gmail.com
I’d like to try the Mexican vanilla.
I want to try the Pure Lemon Extract.
MY sis has tried the peppermint and loves it she said she would not buy
any other brand.
My husband likes vanilla almost as much as I do the madagascar bourbon
pure vanilla sounds like we’ll use less to get great flavor.
I love the vanilla I put vanilla in a lot of things I use it in my coffee,
cookies,shakes,home made ice creame,I add a little to my frostings
too.
I’d like to try Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar!
Pure Lemon Extract
Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla or the pure peppermint
I’d really like to try the Mexican Pure Vanilla.
I would love to try the vanilla
I most want to try the Nielsen-Massey Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanillla Extract but the Coffee Extract sounds interesting as well
would love to try the madagascar bourbon vanilla…
I love almond extract, so I would want to try that.
I want to try the Pure Almond Extract!!
I am very intrigued now and would love to try this Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder. It sounds wonderful!
connors26 at att.net
I love to bake! I just made my own homemade vanilla this year, its still sitting in th edark so I dont know how it tastes! I want to try the vanilla paste, these are cool products that I have never seen before.
would love to try the coffee extract for a cake I am making next month:)
I would like to try the Nielsen-Massey Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanillla Extract .
kat_emerick@yahoo.com
I would love to try their Pure Chocolate Extract.
I’d like to try the Pure Almond Extract.
I’d love to try their Organic Vanilla Extract
I’d love to try the vanilla because I’ve read so many wonderful reviews.
The pure coffee extract looks super interesting!
I want to try the coffee extract…sounds delish!
I would like to try their rose water.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
I’ve always wanted to try the Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla
Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla yummy
vmkids3 at msn dot com
Love love love the vanilla paste! Can’t wait to try the powder!!!
I would LOVE to try their Coffee Extract! Can you imagine how much you could bump up flavors in your baking with just a hint of this?
I MUST try this vanilla powder. If you’ve seen my blog, you know I LOVE all things vanilla!!!
The Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar sounds like a great addition to the sugar cookies I make!