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Food and Drink Essential to sustain life; near the top of the hierarchy of needs |
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06-28-2005, 08:52 PM | #1 |
Traded your soul for pogs.
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vanilla
The ice cream thread talked a little bit about vanilla... vanilla beans do rock. However, I was shopping at my local gourmet food shoppe today - I am a competative baker and it is time to reload on some staples (fine baking chocolates and flavorings). I was looking at their selection of vanilla extracts and was surprised by the different types. Mexican vanilla, Tahitian Vanilla, Bourbon Vanilla... Does anyone use any of these different types on a regular basis? How do the flavors differ from straight up plain ol' vanilla extract. I like to use different flavors in my baked goods, so any info would be appreciated.
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06-28-2005, 09:02 PM | #2 |
UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION
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A local ice cream shop serves what they call "Mexican Vanilla" ice cream. It tastes a little less sweet (does that make it more savory?) and a little beanier, if that makes sense...
I dunno, my taste buds are underachievers. |
06-28-2005, 09:50 PM | #3 |
LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz
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my wife was shopping at wally world a while back , she was looking in the ethnic section , she freaked out when she found a "fith " sized bottle of vanila extract , when she got home we tasted both and couldn't tell a difference .
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06-28-2005, 10:30 PM | #4 |
lobber of scimitars
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You gotta be careful on the Vanilla Extracts, because there are a lot of bad artificially flavored ones (check your fine print).
Vanilla extract is a favorite of hard core drunks because, like listerine, it's a lot easier to steal than real booze. I forget if I told the story of the drunk who had been left passed out in a car in our parking lot and took off while her boyfriend was filing a commitment on her ... all she left behind was her empty bottle of vanilla, carefully laid on the windshield and secured by the wiper blade. Ah, there was a tear in my eye on that one ... When we finally got her back her blood alcohol level was over 250. She smelled like a batch of Nilla Wafers.
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wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis |
06-29-2005, 08:32 AM | #5 | |
Gone and done
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According to my favorite source for herbs & spices:
Quote:
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06-29-2005, 08:39 AM | #6 |
Radical Centrist
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On Wolf's note, when I did IT in the grocery biz we shared offices with the security guys. The various alcohol-based extracts were amongst the most shoplifted items. Suddenly an entire row would be cleaned out. They knew why it was...
Most shoplifted: high-priced pills and such, to be returned later for cash. |
06-29-2005, 09:28 AM | #7 |
bent
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My grandfather would occasionally rescue his brother from skid row (by making him listen to whitesnake! bwah!) and bring him home to dry him out and clean the feces off his clothing. Those were the two items that they always had to restock afterwards -- Listerine and vanilla extract. The extract worked well enough to get the drunk brother to pull a knife every once in a while, which landed him back on the street. I really don't comprehend that level of addiction. Maybe the things I think I'm "addicted" to, I'm not. Maybe I just have to work on impulse control.....
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06-29-2005, 09:36 AM | #8 | |
Come on, cat.
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Nielsen-Massey makes my favorite vanilla products, using only beans from Madagascar. Available at Williams-Sonoma and Whole Foods.
Quote:
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06-29-2005, 10:16 AM | #9 |
lobber of scimitars
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I will have to try that. In the local supermarket I usually scoot right past the McCormicks and get the Spice Islands brand, which seems to be the better of the two.
And never, ever, ever the fake stuff.
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wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis |
06-30-2005, 03:02 PM | #10 | |
Traded your soul for pogs.
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Quote:
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06-30-2005, 03:55 PM | #11 |
dar512 is now Pete Zicato
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On a slight tangent, having Crohn's disease and an allergy to chocolate means that I eat a fair amount of vanilla ice cream. One of the best grocery store vanillas I have ever tasted is Dean's "Homemade Vanilla". Really good stuff.
I think it may be a new flavor. I don't remember seeing it before.
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06-30-2005, 04:30 PM | #12 | |
Come on, cat.
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Quote:
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06-30-2005, 09:04 PM | #13 |
Traded your soul for pogs.
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Location: Champaign, IL
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I might try the paste in pie crust... I went to this restaurant and had some pie with a really lovely flavored crust. Before I use the paste, I should probably learn how to make crust... it's on my list of things to do .
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06-30-2005, 09:10 PM | #14 |
Come on, cat.
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I conquered crust this winter making [about a million %$#&*] pies for a bake sale. The key is cold ingredients. Keep the flour in the freezer, refrigerate the fat, and use ice water.
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06-30-2005, 09:17 PM | #15 |
dar512 is now Pete Zicato
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Hey Jinx, that's the way I learned too! (Original recipe from my grandmother on my mother's side). Cold Crisco and ice water. -- I don't freeze the flour, though.
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