Bourbon Planifolia and Tahitian vanilla beans including vanilla extract, ground vanilla, vanilla cook book and saffron

Recipes
Natural vanilla today only accounts for a minor part of the vanilla market with the bulk of the market using synthetic vanilla. Natural vanilla is always going to be more expensive but the difference in flavor and fragrance is also substantial

vanilla recipes
Looking for recipes? Try this ! Enter vanilla recipes in the Google search box.

Vanilla beans are most commonly used in baking, and they provide a much stronger vanilla flavoring than vanilla extract. To use the bean, split it down the middle and scrape the seeds into whatever you are making. The interior seed mass contains the majority of the flavor, but the exterior of the pod does contain some flavor. When using vanilla beans in sauces, custards or ice creams, steep the bean in the liquid as well. Half a bean is sufficient for most single recipes.

Here's the Vanilla Rum recipe. It comes from a cookbook of recipe's from restaurants on the island of St. Barthelemy in the Caribbean, where this stuff is served complimentary at most restaurants after dinner. I "quote" the whole recipe:

"There are as many different recipes for vanilla rum as there are restaurants serving it on St. Barths. A traditional method calls for 4 cups of dark rum, 2 cups of light rum, 10-12 vanilla beans, 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon of glycerin. Combine the rum with the vanilla beans and refrigerate for 1 month. Remove the vanilla beans and add the sugar, water and glycerin. Store for an additional 1-2 months before serving.

For those unwilling or unable to wait three months for their rum, Andy Hall recommends mixing 2 parts sugar cane syrup, 1 part vanilla extract, 5 parts Mount Gay rum and 2 parts Meyers Dark rum. According to Andy you should "Wait 20 seconds if you can, and then start drinking."

A popular use for the bean itself is as a coffee stirrer to add a vanilla flavor to one's morning caffeine fix. Since vanilla beans can be rinsed and re-used multiple times, you don't have to worry about wasting the bean each time.

The “leftover” pod can be rinsed and dried, then added to your sugar canister for wonderful vanilla-flavored sugar. Many good cooks automatically flavor their sugar supply with one bean per cup of sugar. If you slice the bean down the middle and then into 1/4” pieces, the inner seeds become exposed and impart greater flavor to the sugar. You can also add a bean to your box of powdered sugar!

Use your favorite search engine such as Google or Yahoo and enter vanilla bean recipes
as a search term and you will find some great ideas to suit your needs.

Split five vanilla beans lengthwise down the center to expose the seeds, keeping the ends of the beans intact. Place beans in a pint of high-quality vodka, rum or brandy. Store in a cool, dark place such as a cupboard or closet for at least four weeks. Shake the bottle several times a week.

To use, either remove four of the beans for another purpose (you can add them with a fresh bean to make more extract, or you can use them for cooking), or let all the beans remain in the bottle, and periodically, add more alcohol to keep the bottle replenished. Eventually the beans will lose their strength but they should contain flavor for many months.

Kaluha

2 cups water
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup dry instant coffee ( a dark roast, I use Folgers)
1 chopped vanilla bean
1and 1/2 cups vodka

Grind the Vanilla bean and the sugar together in a food processor or chop fine by hand. (The more you chop the bean the more the flavor can dissolve.)

Boil water and sugar and vanilla bean at a rolling boil for 10 minutes.

Turn off heat. Slowly add dry instant coffee and continue stirring.

Combine the cooled sugar syrup and coffee solution with the
vodka. Cover tightly and let sit on the counter or cupboard in a cool place. You can use the Kaluha the next day if you want. But it improves with age. a month is a good amount of time to let it sit. Shake it every day if you can remember.

It is a good idea to strain out the vanilla particles if you are going to give it as a gift.

If you like a smoother feel to the liqueur you can add about 1 teaspoon
of glycerin to the finished product. Yield: about 4 cups

Basic Hot Chocolate Recipe

2 cups milk
4 ounces dark bitter chocolate
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Warm the milk and chocolate in a saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the seeds and bean to the milk. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture begins to boil. Remove from the heat and froth mixture with a wire whisk.
Serve immediately in ample sized mugs.

Vanilla Sugar:
2 cups sugar
1 whole vanilla bean, cut up into small pieces
Combine the sugar with the vanilla bean in a food processor or a blender. Process until the vanilla bean is completely minced. Strain sugar into a container with a tight fitting lid. Store in a cool dry place.