As a baking professional, you know that bulk vanilla is necessary for smooth operations and for that smooth taste your customers have grown to love in your baked specialties. The bean version is deemed more rich and complex than its extract or synthetic counterparts, and the popularity of using real vanilla is on the rise.

Early peoples of Mexico originally used vanilla and vanilla beans to sweeten cocoa in hot chocolate. Vanilla made its way to Europe in the 1700s, and was used in chocolate dishes until Queen Elizabeth I suggested it could be used in other dishes as well. Since then, vanilla has remained a staple as a mild flavoring tool that can enhance and balance other flavors in food.

Consider this other vanilla information:

1. When you purchase vanilla beans, make sure the product adheres to food standards in the country where it was produced and also those of the US Food and Drug Administration.

2. There are 110 species of fresh vanilla bean, an orchid variety, grown in tropical regions.

3. In your business, vanilla plays a vital role. Don't underestimate the power of a quality product by purchasing the cheapest option available and not fully investigating other brands.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy vanilla beans or vanilla online

A vanilla bean's commercial value is based on its aroma and flavor. Depending on where it is grown, vanilla can have different characteristics and tastes. Experiment with many different kinds of beans before you choose the variety that works best for you.

I recommend: Review the bulk purchase contract from Comoros Vanilla Beans and order up to 200 pounds at once. Check out the bestsellers and purchase from a wide array of vanilla beans at the Beanilla Trading Company.

Work with a vanilla distributor who also sells extract and other products

Whether to use beans or extract depends largely upon on how important the vanilla flavor is to the dish you are preparing. Many chefs use beans in frosting or flan because the extract alcohol won't evaporate. For other baked goods or in industrial food production, extract is more commonly used.

I recommend: Find pure vanilla extract varieties including Mexican, Madagascar, Tahitian and Bourbon at Arizona Vanilla. Williams-Sonoma offers Nielsen-Massey Vanilla in beans, extract or paste forms.

Find recipes that utilize vanilla and vanilla beans

As a baker, you're always coming up with new ways to use ingredients in your kitchen to cook up yummy batches of pastries, cookies, cakes and the like. Look for recipes that incorporate vanilla in a variety of different ways to get your juices flowing on your own recipe ideas.

I recommend: Browse unique recipes at La Vanillère, a vanilla bean farm straight from the French Polynesian region that supplies beans for Guy Savoy Restaurants. Check out the different vanilla recipes offered by The Vanilla.Company including appetizers, drinks, breads, desserts and others.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Fresh vanilla beans can be used for much more than just flavoring food. It is also used commonly as an antacid and a stomach sedative, as well as aromatherapy to soothe nerves. Some say adding a vanilla bean to furniture polish can also ward off bugs.