Best place to buy vanilla?

[092306]

Another vote for Los Cinco Soles

[Pookeybear1966]

We got some at a grocery store in Cozumel. 1.00 for concentrated vanilla. Our private tour guide from plaza tours took us to a market for it

[msstarr22]

Thanks for all the ideas. I really enjoyed the flavor of the one in Cozumel and glad that I now know what to look for.

 

Sorry to burse your bubble BUT: Most of the vanilla you will encounter in Cozumel is synthetic, no matter what the label says. Bogus vanilla likely includes a high alcohol content (up to 25%), whereas genuine vanilla extract will have no more than 2% alcohol. Fake vanilla may also contain coumarin, an extract of the Tonka tree, which can be toxic to the liver. It has been outlawed in the United States, but may still find its way into synthetic vanilla here.

 

The one brand of vanilla here in Cozumel that enjoys a reputation of being pure and ‘real’ vanilla is Orlando. It’s not available everywhere, but look around a bit and you’ll find it. If you’re not going to get the real thing, than you might as well buy your vanilla back home, where at least you can be pretty sure that it doesn’t include any harmful chemicals.

[CruisinCrow]

Mmmmm...:)

 

[winddawn]

On our last trip to Cozumel, I bought vanilla, which tasted wonderful! I don't believe it was a bargain, though.

 

This cruise we are going to Cozumel, Belize and Roatan and I would like to pick up some more. We are going on Victor Bodden's private tour and I know they offer to stop at a local grocery store. I am wondering if the vanilla would be good there or if it's priced better. We are going cave tubing in Belize and I don't know if they have a local store at the restaurant we could buy some.

 

In Cozumel, is there a good place to buy vanilla?

You will have no problem finding good quality vanilla reasonably priced at the port area in Cozumel. The bottle should state, "contains no coumarin," but may not have a rooster. I picked up a huge bottle about the size of a fifth of liquor a couple cruises ago, purchased at the Cozumel dock area, and have been very pleased with my purchase.

 

If it were me, I'd have a hard time trying to bargain with someone in Belize or elsewhere in the Caribbean for a better price on what they are selling. IMHO, I feel way better coming home from my cruise with the knowledge that I passed out a few $20 bills to people who appeared to be very hard-working and just hadn't been blessed with the opportunities that most Americans have. I consider that warm fuzzy feeling a gift and a true bargain at $20.

 

Have a great cruise. I hope you enjoy sharing your gigantic bottle of Mexican vanilla with your BFFs as I have had sharing mine.

[dominichunter]

Vanilla Extract - Cook's Illustrated

www.cooksillustrated.com/tastetests/overview.asp?docid=18889

[winddawn]

Vanilla Extract - Cook's Illustrated

www.cooksillustrated.com/tastetests/overview.asp?docid=18889

Absolutely you can taste the difference. Mexico has phenomenal vanilla at very cheap prices. I have bought two different brands in Mexico, and they each had different tastes, and both beat what you can buy in the states. Not even close in taste.

[RuthlessBoss]

COSTCO!!!! $6 Bucks and no worries about anything!

Heck of a lot better than toting heavy bottles around.

[larkz]

Heck of a lot better than toting heavy bottles around.

 

Agree. Costco is cheaper, easier, and safer. Or Amazon. I'm not a vanilla connoisseur, but skeptical that any good brand of vanilla is going to be beat by another good brand.

[Fighterone]

I like to get mine at Los Cinco Soles because I know it's good, but it's not the cheapest. A grocery store would probably be cheaper. Just make sure you check the expiration date and look for a good brand, like Azteca.

 

Everytime I've been to Cozumel, I went to the grocery store to buy a few specialty items and I always looked for vanilla. It is just a store brand and compares to what is sold in our grocery stores...not the best to buy...at least at the Chedraui.

[richstowe]

COSTCO!!!! $6 Bucks and no worries about anything!

2nd that. Buy a straw hat instead of vanilla on your cruise. It's safer.

[Elmo31]

I buy my vanilla in cozumel. Its the best I have found. Its so yummy ( Los Cinco Soles) which means the five suns. The bottle has five suns on it. I cant wait to buy some again in October :) my whole family and friends put their order in for some too

[BenjiRodney]

Us too Los Cinco Soles in Cozumel.

[dominichunter]

You chefs/cook sure have discrete tastes to tell the difference between

brands, real or imitation. Most recipes only calls for 1 or 2 Teaspoons.

[PAPERBKWRITER]

Last year I walked a bit from the pier in Cozumel and bought 4 large bottles for $8 each. Had to haggle some though.

[frayedend]

Certainly not cheap, but if you want to be sure what you are getting check out the Spice House. This is the place that Alton Brown recommends for spices. They are related to the Penzeys, so same deal.

 

All of their extracts are made in the US from the beans that they import. They sell extracts from Mexico, Madagascar, Tahiti. Good stuff. Oh and all the extracts have a bean in them. I didn't even know this and I just got some Vanilla from them. Now I need to go home and look in the bottle.

 

http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices-by-category/vanilla#content

[frayedend]

Sorry to burse your bubble BUT: Most of the vanilla you will encounter in Cozumel is synthetic, no matter what the label says. Bogus vanilla likely includes a high alcohol content (up to 25%), whereas genuine vanilla extract will have no more than 2% alcohol. Fake vanilla may also contain coumarin, an extract of the Tonka tree, which can be toxic to the liver. It has been outlawed in the United States, but may still find its way into synthetic vanilla here.

 

The one brand of vanilla here in Cozumel that enjoys a reputation of being pure and ‘real’ vanilla is Orlando. It’s not available everywhere, but look around a bit and you’ll find it. If you’re not going to get the real thing, than you might as well buy your vanilla back home, where at least you can be pretty sure that it doesn’t include any harmful chemicals.

 

I think you may be confused. Pure Vanilla Extract in the US must contain at least 35% alcohol. You may find "natural vanilla flavoring" with only 2% alcohol. This is why using vodka and vanilla beans is a good recipe. Vodka is 40%.

[lola61]

On our last trip to Cozumel, I bought vanilla, which tasted wonderful! I don't believe it was a bargain, though.

 

This cruise we are going to Cozumel, Belize and Roatan and I would like to pick up some more. We are going on Victor Bodden's private tour and I know they offer to stop at a local grocery store. I am wondering if the vanilla would be good there or if it's priced better. We are going cave tubing in Belize and I don't know if they have a local store at the restaurant we could buy some.

 

In Cozumel, is there a good place to buy vanilla?

 

Mexico, in SEALED bottles, they have them at the shops at the port.