Vanilla King’s gourmet vanilla is pure with no additives.  Obtaining pure vanilla is an extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive process. We begin creating our pure vanilla extract by carefully selecting vanilla beans.  Only vanilla beans from the finest curers in the world are considered.  

Vanilla pods, or beans as they are called, are the fruit of an orchid.  Of the thousands of varieties of orchids, the vanilla plant is the only one that produces an edible fruit. A small, trumpet-like flower grows on a vine, and blossoms for one day. Because not all the flowers open at once, vanilla growers must check each plant daily for its flowering. Once the flower is open, it is hand-pollinated to produce the fruit.

After pollination, pods take six weeks to reach full size, and then another eight to nine months to mature before they are hand picked.  The mature pods are long and green, resembling a green been.  The green vanilla fruit is totally lacking in the characteristic vanilla flavor.  In order to produce this distinctive taste, the vanilla beans are cured, a process which can take from three to six months.  This curing process begins by blanching the pods in boiling water, followed by a sun heating.  The pods are then wrapped in blankets and allowed to sweat.  Over a period of three to six months of drying in the sun by day and sweating in blankets at night, the beans ferment, turn brown and develop a pleasant vanilla aroma.  The curing process may vary slightly from region to region.

Once the vanilla beans arrive in the U.S., we carefully inspect each bundle to ensure our rigid quality specifications are met.  There are several grades of vanilla beans, with the industry using lower grades to increase profit margins.  Vanilla King uses only Grade “A” black vanilla beans without blemishes, defects or galls and which are supple and oily.

Once the vanilla beans have been hand-selected, the premium flavor is extracted. Most manufacturers use the heat extraction process, which many believe damages flavor components of the beans.  Instead, we use a cold extraction process that preserves the character of vanilla's delicate flavor bouquet.

Vanilla King utilizes a slow, gentle recirculation of the menstruum over and through the beans.  Our process takes months, rather than days, as when heat is used.  This is why Vanilla King vanillas are renowned for their flavor quality.

Like fine bordeaux wines, champagne cognacs of France, and magnificent sherrys, pure vanilla extract requires slow aging in order to develop a full-bodied character. Chemical changes take place during the aging process allowing for the formation of esters from acids, which develops aromas and aldehydes, thereby producing the full complexity of the extract.  These changes first become evident at three weeks after aging when the bitterness begins to diminish.  Within two months, the changes become even more noticeable in taste and particularly in aroma.  Our vanillas will continue to age on your shelf.  When aged over six months, the character and complexity of the extract matures, producing topnote essences with smooth, rich taste.

Aging is very costly and quite rare; however, Vanilla King is proud to bring you the finest gourmet vanilla.  Because the ingredients (alcohol and vanilla beans) are very expensive and market conditions fluxuate, processors today exclude this integral aging step altogether.  Instead, they ship the extract immediately after bottling, thus foregoing the cost involved in aging and storing.

As established by the Federal Food and Drug Administration, a fold of vanilla is the extractive matter of 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans to the gallon of liquid.  A two-fold pure vanilla contains 26.7 ounces; a three-fold vanilla contains 40.5 ounces, and a four-fold is 53.4 ounces.  Typically, vanilla sold in retail stores is single fold.  The h1er fold vanillas are more commonly used commercially where large batches of product are being flavored.

In order to be labeled a pure vanilla "extract," the vanilla must contain at least 35% alcohol by volume.  If it has less than 35% alcohol, it is labeled as a pure vanilla flavor. Although 35% is the standard alcohol requirement, Vanilla King's Gourmet Vanilla Extract contains 40% alcohol in order to extract more flavor from the beans.

All Vanilla King vanilla products are manufactured in accordance with the Food and Drug Administration Code of Federal Regulations.

The following is a list of our pure gourmet vanillas available.  We will custom blend any of our vanillas to fit specific flavor profiles and budgetary considerations.  Our vanillas are manufactured without the addition of sugar, which is a clarifier and sweetener.  Our gourmet vanillas are cleaner and carry well into the finished product.  Depending on the market situation, some vanilla may not be available at certain times of the year.

The king of all vanillas.  Manufactured from 100% Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans. The finest beans available in quantity.  This vanilla offers a very creamy, sweet, full flavor with velvet after tones.  Strengths available in 1X and 2X or a custom basis.

Cultivated and processed the "Indonesian Way."  This vanilla offers unique staying properties in high heat applications, on its own or when blended with other vanillas. Indonesian vanilla is woody, less creamy, and somewhat harsher than Bourbon vanillas.  It works very well in baked products.  Strengths available in 1X and 2X or a custom basis.

Mexico, the original vanilla bean source, offers a creamy, spicy flavor.  When manufactured properly, it results in a very high quality vanilla.  This vanilla works great with cinnamon, chocolate cream desserts, beverages, ethnic foods, poultry, meat, wild game and desserts made without heat or with short cooking durations.  Strengths available in 1X and 2X.

A different member of the vanilla family, this vanilla is distinctly unique from the others. The vanilla is sweeter and offers a fruity, cherry, and anisic flavor.  A great potentiator for fruit-based products, especially cherry.  It is wonderful in desserts as well as in sauces for poultry, seafood, and wild game.  It is typically blended with other extracts. Singularly, it is used mostly for special taste products such as ice cream and pastries. Strengths available in 1X and 2X.

The optimum use of the Tahitian vanilla bean.  The resulting flavor tone of blending the Madagascar Bourbon and Tahitian is quite distinctive.  This vanilla blend gives a "French Vanilla" taste to products.  Strengths available in 1X and 2X.