Gourmet Mexican Vanilla Beans, Grade A Planifolia
Premium quality vanilla beans from the birthplace of vanilla
Current price: $ 273.00 Original price: $ 310.00
Save 11% (-$ 37.00)
Vanilla Beans
Excellent Product! Excellent Service!
I'm a convert
I've been making my own vanilla extract for over a decade and used to buy my beans based on reviews at a Infamous Global seller. Was never sure what I would get. Then I found this company! The beans were beautiful! Fragrant, moist but not too moist, easy to cut open to expose the seeds and each Bean was six to seven inches long. I'm a happy extract maker! 💝💃🥳
High Quality Vanilla - excellent customer service.
Slo Food group team takes great care of their customers. Received a broken bottle of Vanilla and it was immediately handled. Received my replacement bottle within 3 days.
This extract is used to make our Tahitian Vanilla Cakes!
Great place to get your spices
SLO Food group is the best place I have found to buy my vanilla beans, great customer service, fast shipping and very competitive prices. Thank you for helping me with my project, Vanilla extract. Thank you don young
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Vanilla Beans
Excellent Product! Excellent Service!
I'm a convert
I've been making my own vanilla extract for over a decade and used to buy my beans based on reviews at a Infamous Global seller. Was never sure what I would get. Then I found this company! The beans were beautiful! Fragrant, moist but not too moist, easy to cut open to expose the seeds and each Bean was six to seven inches long. I'm a happy extract maker! 💝💃🥳
High Quality Vanilla - excellent customer service.
Slo Food group team takes great care of their customers. Received a broken bottle of Vanilla and it was immediately handled. Received my replacement bottle within 3 days.
This extract is used to make our Tahitian Vanilla Cakes!
Great place to get your spices
SLO Food group is the best place I have found to buy my vanilla beans, great customer service, fast shipping and very competitive prices. Thank you for helping me with my project, Vanilla extract. Thank you don young
How to Make Vanilla Extract
An easy to follow guide to making vanilla extract in your own kitchen
From the True Birthplace of Vanilla
The Original Home of Vanilla
Traditionally cultivated by the Totonac people of Veracruz, Mexico is the true birthplace of vanilla, and this bean stays close to that original flavor.
Nearly 200 Aromatic Compounds
Beyond vanillin, roughly 130 additional compounds and 50 aromatic substances create Mexican vanilla's signature toasted, spice-heavy complexity.
Natural and Coumarin-Free
Made from real, whole vanilla beans, unlike the counterfeit liquid "Mexican vanilla" products that have given the category a bad reputation.
Mellow, Smooth and Rich
The same Planifolia species as Madagascar vanilla, but with a distinctly smoother, more mellow character all its own.
Technical Specifications
| Origin | Mexico |
|---|---|
| Species | Vanilla planifolia |
| Grade | Gourmet, Grade A, Prime, Black |
| Size | Avg 14 cm (5.5 Inches), May Vary Based on Annual Availability |
| Moisture Content | 25-30% |
| Color/Appearance | Dark Brown to Black |
| Certifications | Kosher, GMP |
| Curing Method | Curing Method |
| Aroma | Toasted, Spice-Heavy, with Hints of Rum and Dried Fruit, Chocolate |
| Flavor Profile | Bold, Sweet, Spicy, Mellow, Smooth |
| Tasting Notes | Caramel, Nutmeg, Clove, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Raisin, Tamarind, Rum, Dried Fruit |
| Uses | Vanilla Extract, Mole Sauces, Cheesecakes, Custards, Ice Cream, Crème Brûlée, Sweet Breads, Chocolate Confections |
| Pairing | Citrus, Spicy Salsas, Barbecue Sauce, Spiced Cookies, Margaritas, Spiced Cocktails, Horchata |
| Historical Note | Native to Mexico, Traditionally Cultivated by the Totonac People of Veracruz; The Original Vanilla Bean Source |
| Safety Note | Made From Genuine, Whole Vanilla Beans — Naturally Coumarin-Free |
| Storage | Airtight Container, Wrapped, Cool and Dark Place |
| Shelf Life | Up to 24 Months Properly Stored |
| Packaging | Vacuum-Sealed, Food-Grade |
Enjoy Rich, Bold Gourmet Mexican Vanilla Beans From the Birthplace of Vanilla
Buy vanilla from Mexico, the country of origin for all vanilla beans. The Totonacs of Veracruz are known as one of the first people to harvest and use vanilla beans. Vanilla was a sacred herb with an honored place in ritual offerings. It was also used as a perfume and for medicinal purposes, but it was not commonly used as a flavoring.
The Aztec Empire conquered the Totonacs in the 1400s. The use of chocolate in beverages began with the Aztecs, and they were the first people to create a delicious drink from vanilla beans as well. Xocolatl was a rich beverage created with a combination of chocolate and vanilla.
How Vanilla Became a Favorite Spice Worldwide
Mexico remained the only source of vanilla until the late 1800s, when various explorers began exporting the plants to other countries. The first attempts to uproot and transfer vanilla plants didn't end well. Botanists were puzzled until they realized that the Melipona bees, found only in Mexico, were the main pollinators for vanilla flowers. Vanilla beans were finally grown in other locations once someone realized a bamboo shoot could be used to pollinate flowers by hand.
Cultivation and Harvesting
Properties of Our Gourmet Mexican Vanilla Beans
How To Prepare Vanilla Beans
Although vanilla beans have evolved since they were first discovered and exported, beans from Mexico are still quite close to the flavors of the original beans. The quality of a vanilla bean depends on the skills and methods used to cultivate, harvest, and cure the beans and pods. Vanilla is actually a type of orchid, and the plant is known as one of the most labor-intensive commercial crops.
Vanilla plants are cultivated and harvested by hand. Producers in Mexico wait nine months after pollination before harvesting vanilla beans. They remove the green to yellow pods from the plants once ripe, long after the flowers have died. Traditionally, Mexican vanilla bean pods were laid out in the hot sun to dry for an average of 20 days, which also allows the pods to begin fermenting.
Modern producers now rarely use the traditional approach to curing and more commonly rely on water-killing of vanilla beans to jump-start the fermentation process of sweating, drying, and conditioning.
Mexican Vanilla Bean Flavor Profile
Although Mexico and Madagascar both grow Planifolia vanilla beans, there are flavor differences. Mexican vanilla beans have a complex flavor profile that tends to be mellower and smoother than Madagascar vanilla beans. Vanilla beans grown in Mexico range from a classic spectrum of sweet, creamy, smooth caramel flavors to rich, deep woody notes similar to nutmeg or clove.
The beans contain almost 200 volatile compounds. Vanillin is the strongest and most easily recognized compound, but roughly 130 additional compounds and 50 aromatic substances are responsible for the tantalizing mix of flavors the Mexican vanilla bean is known for.
A toasted, spice-heavy aroma with hints of rum and dried fruit adds nuance, and the bean is known for adding notes of cinnamon, cocoa, raisin, and tamarind to foods and beverages. Both the beans and seeds infuse enduring flavor into extracts.
Suggested Use for Foods and Beverages
Make pure vanilla extract or simply use the fresh vanilla bean pods in your favorite recipes. The robust flavor of Mexican vanilla beans excels in rich dessert recipes, such as cheesecakes, sweet breads, chocolate confections, custards, ice cream, and crème brûlée.
Mexican vanilla beans also pair well with citrus fruits, spicy salsas, and barbecue sauces. These beans enhance ginger snaps and other spiced cookie varieties. Mixed drinks, such as spiced cocktails and margaritas, are also enhanced by rich vanilla flavor.
The beans and pods both contain flavor, so try to use every part to get the best value from your purchase. Use the tip of a sharp knife to open a thin slit in the center of the bean pod. Gently open the pod to expose the seeds and scrape from the middle on one side, then carefully scrape the sticky seeds off the knife blade into a clean container. Repeat the process starting from the center on the other side of the pod. The beans should be moist and pliable with a strong aroma. Beans used for extracts and infusions can be reused if they still retain their aroma.
How to Store Vanilla Beans
Wrap beans in wax paper or plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container. Squeeze the air out of the container so the beans don't dry out, and store them in a cool, dark place. Air the beans regularly by removing them from the container every 4 to 6 weeks and letting air circulate for 10 to 15 minutes.
Properly stored, vanilla beans may last up to two years, though it's best to use beans within 1-3 months for the boldest flavor.
Why Mexican Vanilla Can Cost More, and Other Options to Consider
Genuine, high-quality Mexican vanilla often commands a premium, and for real reasons. Many Mexican vanilla farmers have shifted to more profitable crops like corn due to historically unfair pricing from middlemen, shrinking the supply of quality beans. On top of that, traditional Mexican curing still relies on sun-drying pods for weeks rather than the faster industrial methods used in some other growing regions, a slower, more labor-intensive process that costs more to produce. Authentic Mexican vanilla can also be harder to source reliably, since the counterfeit coumarin problem discussed above means more diligence is required to find a trustworthy supplier.
If you're looking for a different flavor profile or price point, we carry several excellent alternatives. Our Madagascar vanilla beans offer the classic, creamy sweetness most people associate with vanilla, and are typically more widely available. For a bolder, chocolate-forward alternative, our Ugandan vanilla beans bring rich fig and cocoa notes at a comparable price point. Whichever you choose, each origin offers its own genuine character worth exploring.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Mexican vanilla beans are vanilla beans that have been grown, harvested, and cured in Mexico. Traditionally, they are harvested around the Veracruz, Huasteca, and Puebla areas. Mexican vanilla beans are said to be the original vanilla beans. Many historians record the birthplace of vanilla as Mexico, first being used by the Totonac Indians. Mexican vanilla beans generally come from vanilla orchid planifolia or the lesser-known vanilla pompona. The taste of these vanilla beans ranges from a classic spectrum of sweet, creamy, smooth caramel flavors to rich, deep woody notes similar to nutmeg or clove.
- Generally, vanilla is a spice derived from the fruit of an orchid. Mexican vanilla is derived from the fruit of an orchid, traditionally Vanilla planifolia or Vanilla pompona, that is grown, harvested, and cured in Mexico specifically. In the past, Mexican vanilla went through a specific curing process using only the sun to kill the vanilla bean. While this practice is still used sparingly, most growers and preparers in Mexico now use a water-killing process. The water-killing method is also commonly used in other vanilla-growing regions such as Madagascar, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and more.
- You can buy Mexican vanilla beans from Slofoodgroup directly on our website. All Slofoodgroup vanilla products are made from authentic, high-quality vanilla beans.
- All of our vanilla, including our Mexican vanilla beans grown and cured in Mexico, is Coumarin Free. Vanilla containing coumarin is generally a liquid-based vanilla product falsely marketed as Mexican vanilla extract, Mexican vanilla, and other possible terms. If you are considering purchasing liquid vanilla products, please consult the product ingredients label to ensure you are only purchasing a pure vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extracts should only contain 35% alcohol by volume, vanilla bean extractives, and the optional ingredient of sugar or other sweetening agents as authorized by the standard of identity for pure vanilla extract.
- When buying Mexican vanilla, you should always look at the grade of vanilla bean best suited for what you intend to do. If you want to use it for baking or making vanilla extract, then a gourmet vanilla bean will do just fine. Gourmet vanilla beans have a slightly higher moisture content, which makes it easy to split, scrape, and chop your vanilla bean. Grade B vanilla beans tend to be more suited to making vanilla extract due to their low moisture content, and at times, physical blemishes or deformities. Most importantly, make sure your vanilla smells good. Mexican vanilla smells quite similar to Mexican chocolate.
- The taste of Mexican vanilla beans ranges from a classic spectrum of sweet, creamy, smooth caramel flavors to rich, deep woody notes similar to nutmeg or clove. When added to foods and beverages, these vanilla beans can add notes of cinnamon, cocoa, raisin, and tamarind.
- Genuine, high-quality Mexican vanilla often commands a premium due to a smaller supply of farmers still growing it, continued reliance on slower, traditional sun-curing methods, and the extra diligence required to source authentic beans given the prevalence of counterfeit coumarin products. If you're looking for a different price point, our Madagascar or Ugandan vanilla beans are excellent alternatives.
