Powdered vanilla is # 13 on my list of favorite things about Paris and Provence. The little jar came from the Sunday market in Isle-su-l'Sorgue. I bought the tube of powdered vanilla at La Grande Epicerie in Le Bon Marche in Paris (which, by the way, is # 14 on my list!). I've never seen powdered vanilla here in the States; maybe I'm not looking in the right places? If you've seen it, let me know. Its fragrance is rich and the flavor is a little different than vanilla extract. Since I don't have a very educated palate, I don't have the right words to explain this difference, but it has a deeper, sweeter smell to me. I like to sprinkle a tiny bit in the warm milk that I froth for my morning coffee. I get just a hint of rich vanilla when I sip...yum!What is La Grande Epicerie, you ask? Only the coolest grocery store I've ever seen! It is so worth a trip if you're visiting Paris even if you don't intend to buy groceries. Oh come on...buy a bottle of wine or a luscious chunk of chocolate! I've never seen anything like the cheese counter, the deli meat counter, the bread department. Word to the wise....don't forget to weigh your produce BEFORE you get to the check out person. That's the way you do it in France and the check out girl will not be happy if you don't comply!
Okay...I googled 'powdered vanilla' and you can buy it several places on line. That's not nearly as much fun as it is to pick it up while you wander the Sunday market in Isle or find it while you check out the well-dressed Parisians at La Grande Epicerie! I'll ration mine out until I can get back to France!
4 comments:
Madame Riffaut, that's the lady you bought the vanilla powder from in l'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. She's a very nice lady, I buy my vanilla from her each time we are there. But let me tell you a secret. Powdered vanilla are dried grounded vanilla pods. You should never ever throw away used vanilla pods. I let them dry and put them in my white sugar. Or in olive oil to create vanilla oil! And every once in a while, I grind them with my coffee grinder. What a great idea to use that in your coffee, never thought of that before!
Like Jientje, I keep the vanilla pods in a little jar with some brown sugar (sucre roux), this way, no need to buy some vanilla sugar!
Jientje & Isabelle...thank you so much for your comments. I would never think to save vanilla pods to use like you do! Those are great ways to use them since those vanilla beans are pretty pricey. How fun that you know the Isle vendor, Jientje!
I've never seen powdered vanilla and I'm loving the ideas above ... I would never think to do that with a vanilla pod. Can't wait to try the ideas!
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