The tastes of Pure Vanilla Extracts are as varied as that of a common brandy to a fine, aged Cognac. Most people, however, have never really tasted for vanilla quality. The differences can be so dramatic that, once experienced, they will never allow you to settle for ordinary vanilla again. This is one of the reasons why gourmet ice cream shoppes are so particular and demanding in their selection of Pure Vanilla Extract, the base flavor for virtually all ice creams. There are several ways to taste vanilla:
Milk
Add 1 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract to a 6 ounce glass of fresh, cold milk. (If the milk is not fresh, bitterness will be apparent in the tasting.) Thoroughly stir in the vanilla. Slowly sip the mixture while aerating over the tongue to the back of the mouth.
Ice Cream
Pour 1 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract over a scoop of “vanilla ice cream.” (Unflavored ice cream would be preferable, but it is not available in grocery stores.) The ice cream should be slightly softened. Spoon up some of the softened ice cream along with the vanilla extract, place in your mouth, and, with the tongue, press it to the back of your mouth to dissolve.
Sugar
Place several drops of Pure Vanilla Extract on a cube of sugar. Place in the mouth and suck. When doing this test with a pure vanilla versus an imitation, the difference is immediately noticeable.