Reliable Sources for Vanilla Beans

[CaliPoutine]

I just wanted to add that today I received 2 mexican beans. I asked the owner if he could send me a sample so i could compare and he obliged. Im impressed with the customer service. The beans werent wrapped and they smell fantastic.

I believe some vanilla ice cream is in my future.

[Chef Metcalf]

I said I would post the tax, duty and brokerage fees for shipments to Canada.

I paid about $21.00...and that's on top of the cost of the beans.

Service was great and the product is about the quality that I would get at any of the stores in Vancouver...for about 75% less than I normally pay.

Gotta like that.

cm

[Tepee]

I want to grow some vanilla planifolia orchid plants and have the perfect place to do it. However, I'm having difficulty finding anyone who can sell and ship me a starter vine.

Anyone here have any idea where I might get one, or several?

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This is from the Australian site Aprilmei posted. clicky here

[KarenS]

My first choice is Tahitian- though I also use Tongan, and Papua New Guinea (for less special puposes, and Hawaiian- to support a growing industry). Tahitian is a different species then the "true" Mexican vanilla (where it came from- and where there is a bee that naturally polinates them- instead of by hand like everywhere else)

[Marmish]

I've been ordering form these fellows for several years now and have always been very happy with the quality I recieve and the rapid delivery.

I want to grow some vanilla planifolia orchid plants and have the perfect place to do it. However, I'm having difficulty finding anyone who can sell and ship me a starter vine.

Anyone here have any idea where I might get one, or several?

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I don't know where you are, but you might try Plant Delights. I didn't see it listed, but they may be able to help you, or redirect you. Interesting people with some rare stuff.

[Eden]

Thanks for letting us know about this site Randi! I just got my order today & they smell fabulous! I got some of each to do my own taste test :-> Can't wait to cook with them...

[Mayhaw Man]

Vanillafrica is a company that we just added to the group on my company's website. The samples were gorgeous, though I have not had a chance to use any of them as of yet. The beans that they sell are all from Madagascar and Uganda.

Once again: I don't make anything out of the transaction, we just host their site, so this is information and NOT promotion. Thanks.

[scovilleFiend]

I have been buying vanilla for awhile through places like penzey's and trader joe's and in general it is rather expensive. Ordering from some of the places listed on the forums definitely is cheaper, but I have recently found a very nice source.

Strangely, there is a company selling on ebay for pretty stellar prices. I know I know, it's ebay, but still. The buy it now prices are reasonable, but recently I was able to get an auction price of $10 for 1/2 of vanilla, 6-7". $3 was tacked on for shipping. They are tahitian and supposedly organic. I can at the very least say that the ones I was delivered are quite good, and the price is absolutely phenomenal. Total shipping time was 1 day, and total price was $13, quite a steal for 1/2 lb. of what I would consider good quality vanilla beans.

You can search ebay for "organic vanilla", and I dug up the "store" site here:

http://stores.ebay.com/The-Organic-Vanilla...aderLinksQQtZkm?

[jim_jimmers]

the place i work buys all of our beans and extracts from them (saffron.com). they have been very reliable as long as i have used them (~1 year)

Edited August 25, 2005 by jim_jimmers (log)

[Patrick S]

Strangely, there is a company selling on ebay for pretty stellar prices. I know I know, it's ebay, but still. The buy it now prices are reasonable, but recently I was able to get an auction price of $10 for 1/2 of vanilla, 6-7". $3 was tacked on for shipping. They are tahitian and supposedly organic. I can at the very least say that the ones I was delivered are quite good, and the price is absolutely phenomenal. Total shipping time was 1 day, and total price was $13, quite a steal for 1/2 lb. of what I would consider good quality vanilla beans.

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Thanks for the tip! At that price, they have to be worth a shot. I see a lot of vanilla bean creme brulees in my future. . .

[bripastryguy]

I cant get on the site, it says the server is down....maybe it was too good to be true

[aprilmei]

I want to grow some vanilla planifolia orchid plants and have the perfect place to do it. However, I'm having difficulty finding anyone who can sell and ship me a starter vine.

Anyone here have any idea where I might get one, or several?

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This is from the Australian site Aprilmei posted. clicky here

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Try this instead:

https://bne078u.server-secure.com/vs1495_se...nillaorchid.htm

Besides selling vanilla plants, they also sell Australian grown vanilla beans (didn't know they did that, did you? I didn't either). Really good service and they DHL for free anywhere in the world (well, anywhere DHL goes to). I bought 500 grams of one type of vanilla bean and asked for a sample of another - they sent me about 20 extra beans. The beans are a little drier and smaller than what I've normally worked but they're reasonably priced.

[scovilleFiend]

I cant get on the site, it says the server is down....maybe it was too good to be true

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Hmmmm, it doesn't look like it posted the whole URL in the forum. Does just clicking on it not work? In any event, like I said, you should try searching ebay's items for "organic vanilla".

With my order I also got a list of "special" prices that I can use as a previous customer instead of ebay. The prices are quite reasonable. They of course have them by weight as well, but I am not very good with the metric system despite its superiority.

20 beans for 16.50 (tahitian)

20 beans for 18 (bourbon)

Those are for 6-7, they have larger ones which are obviously more expensive. They have a website organic-vanilla.com, but apparently it is still "coming soon". It looks like they are trying to buy it or something, because right now the website is something else.

[CanadianBakin']

I have been buying vanilla for awhile through places like penzey's and trader joe's and in general it is rather expensive. Ordering from some of the places listed on the forums definitely is cheaper, but I have recently found a very nice source.

Strangely, there is a company selling on ebay for pretty stellar prices. I know I know, it's ebay, but still. The buy it now prices are reasonable, but recently I was able to get an auction price of $10 for 1/2 of vanilla, 6-7". $3 was tacked on for shipping. They are tahitian and supposedly organic. I can at the very least say that the ones I was delivered are quite good, and the price is absolutely phenomenal. Total shipping time was 1 day, and total price was $13, quite a steal for 1/2 lb. of what I would consider good quality vanilla beans.

You can search ebay for "organic vanilla", and I dug up the "store" site here:

http://stores.ebay.com/The-Organic-Vanilla...aderLinksQQtZkm?

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Thanks for the link! I just won 1/4 lb 7" & longer Tahitian vanilla beans for $11 USD including shipping to Canada. Delivery is 3 - 5 days so I'll let you know when I get them how they are. I'm pretty excited as they are about $7 Canadian for 2 beans in the stores here.

[bripastryguy]

I just ordered a pound of beans, tahitian 2nd grade we will see how good for $29.95, at least I'll make my own vanilla paste and powder instead of buying for awhile.

Their is also a company called Tripper that has vanilla and vanilla beans. They made a deal with me if I buy 4 gallons of paste its something like $55.00 a gallon, but I have to buy a minimum of 4. Anyone wanna go in with me?

[CaliPoutine]

I just ordered a pound of beans, tahitian 2nd grade we will see how good for $29.95, at least I'll make my own vanilla paste and powder instead of buying for awhile.

Their is also a company called Tripper that has vanilla and vanilla beans. They made a deal with me if I buy 4 gallons of paste its something like $55.00 a gallon, but I have to buy a minimum of 4. Anyone wanna go in with me?

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Can you tell me how you make your own paste?

[bripastryguy]

Just got my pound of vanilla beans from organic vanilla.com...They seem plump, pretty fragrant, I'll see how they fair when used tomorrow. If they are good I will take advantage of their 5 pound deal for $110.00.

I make vanilla paste by using the beans. Drying them out, grinding them in a spice grinder then mixing them with light corn syrup enough to make a paste.

[CaliPoutine]

Just got my pound of vanilla beans from organic vanilla.com...They seem plump, pretty fragrant, I'll see how they fair when used tomorrow. If they are good I will take advantage of their 5 pound deal for $110.00.

I make vanilla paste by using the beans. Drying them out, grinding them in a spice grinder then mixing them with light corn syrup enough to make a paste.

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I just "won" a half lb for 5.50. Why would you pay 110 for 5 lbs? The auctions are a lot cheaper.

[bripastryguy]

Sometimes I just dont feel like dealing with the bidding

[Patrick S]

Just got my pound of vanilla beans from organic vanilla.com...They seem plump, pretty fragrant, I'll see how they fair when used tomorrow. If they are good I will take advantage of their 5 pound deal for $110.00.

I make vanilla paste by using the beans. Drying them out, grinding them in a spice grinder then mixing them with light corn syrup enough to make a paste.

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I'm eager to hear what you think of the beans you bought, bripastry. Have you used tahitensis beans before? I haven't, and I'm curious to hear about their flavor, since the vendor says they contain "very little vanillin."

[Katie Nell]

I think their prices have gone down even more! Just started reading this thread and now I want some! What about the vanilla extract? Are any of the different kinds superior to the next? Recommendations?

[bripastryguy]

The beans are alittle scrawny but, fragrant and they are working fine for my applications. Not a bad deal, when you are in business for yourself, every dollar counts so sometimes you cant buy the best of everything but I still like to come close.

[Patrick S]

The beans are alittle scrawny but, fragrant and they are working fine for my applications. Not a bad deal, when you are in business for yourself, every dollar counts so sometimes you cant buy the best of everything but I still like to come close.

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I understand completely! I went ahead and ordered some, and I'm looking forward to experimenting.

[McAuliflower]

gulp

thanks to the eBay tip, I am the proud owner of 1 lb of 5-6" organic tahitian vanilla beans. $14.25! They arrived plump and almost waxy. I don't see any vanillin crystals on the beans. Also, several of the beans are smaller than 5 inches.

How does the bean length contribute to bean flavor?

looking for favorite vanilla extract methods...

[CaliPoutine]

gulp

thanks to the eBay tip, I am the proud owner of 1 lb of 5-6" organic tahitian vanilla beans.  $14.25!  They arrived plump and almost waxy.  I don't see any vanillin crystals on the beans.  Also, several of the beans are smaller than 5 inches.

How does the bean length contribute to bean flavor? 

looking for favorite vanilla extract methods...

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I got my beans too. I thought there were smaller( even the supposed 6-7 inch length) and less plump than other beans Ive bought, but hey, the price is right. I'll just end up using 3 of these instead of 1 of another.

What did other think?

remember the old adage, "you get what you pay for" that certainly applied here.