Bakto FlavorsGround Vanilla Beans, 100% Papua New Guinea -Vanilla tahitensis,8 OZ Bag

And I would give more stars, but ground pods of vanilla do include the pods. Therefore, the texture is quite rough and not good in places like ice cream or anything that you want to be smooth, especially. I went back to the glycerine and vanilla scrapings in a bottle for most of my cooking or un-cooking.

I have purchased the Bakto Madagascar (Vanilla planifolia) ground vanilla several times before and have been extremely pleased with the quality. The economical price on this Papau New Guinea (Vanilla tahitensis) ground vanilla was fantastic and I thought I'd give it a try.To release the most flavor from ground vanilla, add some sort of fat (butter, cream, etc.) to your recipe and, preferably, then cook the product. Higher temperatures help release more vibrant vanilla notes. Where extracts may dissipate with higher temps and longer cooking times, ground vanilla is the reverse. Sometimes, I use both extract and ground vanilla, since they impart different layers and nuances of flavor.There is a noticeable difference between Vanilla planifolia, or "Madagascar" vanilla, versus "Tahitian" vanilla, or Vanilla tahitensis. If you've ever purchased the vanilla extract described as "Tahitian," you know what I'm talking about. Tahitian vanilla seems to be lighter, higher, sweeter, and fruitier, though weaker, than Madagascar Vanilla.I prefer Tahitian vanilla for most applications, except not for items like chocolate chip cookies or tapioca pudding that demand Madagascar vanilla to taste proper to some folks, so this was a fantastic deal for me.All vanilla originated with cuttings from Mexico and then, purportedly, the Tahitian cuttings mutated, resulting in the different flavors, due to an increase in the heliotropin compound and decrease in vanillin. However, orchids and other flowers--and vanilla beans result from this orchid's flowers--may vary dramatically in appearance and scent due to differing cultural conditions. So, whether it is an actual mutation, or the result of cultural variation, Vanilla tahitensis and Vanilla planifolia do, indeed, present quite differently to the human palate and olfactory system.

the taste is very different from other vanilla suppliers. flavour is not strong and packaging is very weak. i threw the whole thing in the garbage eventhough i paid a lot of money for it. USELESS!

This is more of a review on the company, Bakto Flavors, than the products. I have been ordering from Bakto, through Amazon, for over two years. I have sampled Vanillas from other distributors and found Bakto’s 8 oz. ground beans to be superior, and very reasonably priced. I have always been pleased with the consistency of their stock. Recently, an item I received was not quite up to their usual high standards. Being a loyal customer, I sent an Email to the company’s info address to express my disappointment. Although I did not expect a response, within a few minutes I received an Email from the Director of Research and Development. While this was a surprise, the tone of that response was amazing. The Director was personable, apologetic, and earnestly concerned about my dissatisfaction. The Director graciously offered an immediate remedy without conditions. Considering the relative insignificance of my order, I believe this incident speaks volumes to the integrity of this company and the value they place on their customers. If I could, I would give Bakto Flavors SIX stars.

I use this product in my gluten-free cookie business (plug here.....www.doughkies.com) and love it. I use it in my Vanilla Honey cookie. I have tried other vanilla bean powders and I've never liked any as much as I like this one. However, if you are new to vanilla bean powder, I would recommend reading up on all the different types of vanilla beans that go into making the different powders. You may find that you are curious to try one over another and like a vanilla flavor that differs from this one. ( I would not recommend www.AmadeusVanillaBeans.com. Their customer service is lousy and they don't honor their product satisfaction guarantee.)This product is as close to what you would expect pure vanilla to smell and taste like, based on what we are all used to buying when we buy pure vanilla extract. Hope this helps.

Thank you

I have used the ground vanilla for many holiday baking recipes so far, and it has done wonderfully in each recipe. This ground vanilla seems to be of good quality, and for such a great price, you can't beat it. I would suggest storing it in a sealable glass container; it arrives in a plastic bag. I put mine in a canning jar soon after getting it, and it is storing well in there.

This is the first time I've ordered and used ground vanilla beans, so I wasn't sure what to buy. I was pleasantly surprised. The smell was delicious, and I love the way it makes recipes taste. I was mainly buying this to use in smoothies to help give them more flavor. I love the flavor I get when I use the ground vanilla. I will definitely buy this again!