Let me start by saying that the products featured in this post were provided to me free of charge courtesy of LAFAZA/Field Trading Company, Inc. This post may have affiliate links but this in no way will influence the review to follow and all opinions are my own.
LAFAZA Vanilla Review and Giveaway
It has been a while since I have done a confession so here it is: I LOVE vanilla. I love the smell in candles, scents and cooking. I love the smell and it always makes me think of warm cookies.
I have undertaken this adventure in learning how to cook recently and part of my education has led me to vanilla and the many forms in which it is available. This is where LAFAZA Vanilla enters my life. I was sent LAFAZA Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans – 2 beans, LAFAZA Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract – 2 oz, LAFAZA Pure Ground Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla – 1 oz and LAFAZA Vanilla Sugar – 8 oz for review.
LAFAZA immediately got my attention due to the sustainability model that they use, a sustainable vanilla supply chain. I am sure you are wondering why is that even notable? By using a sustainable vanilla supply chain it allows LAFAZA to partner with local farmers that plant forest-grown vanilla resistant to disease. This method employs smaller farmers and allows them to work on their own land. Due to the techniques used 50%-60% of a farmers cured beans are of a premier grade. This also allows the profits from the vanilla to stay in local communities in which it is grown. For us, as the customer’s, we can purchase these vanilla products knowing that the vanilla can be traced from origin to final sale, as well as feeling good knowing our purchase continues this sustainability cycle. If you would like to read in more detail about their sustainability model, click here.
LAFAZA Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans – 2 beans: These are approximately 6 inches long and while I have not opened them yet they smell so good and fresh! I think we will be making a very rich vanilla ice cream from these.
LAFAZA Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract – 2 oz: This little bottle packs a flavorful note to almost anything I chose to add it to. I have NEVER smelled vanilla that smells as good as this one did. This is a Kosher Certified blend and is produced from ethically sourced all-natural Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla. The recipe that makes this extract includes water, alcohol and vanilla extracts – no other added ingredients!
LAFAZA Pure Ground Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla – 1 oz: This was not only pleasant smelling but the most beautiful brown color I have ever seen. I plan to use this the next time I make chocolate chip cookies. This comes from sun-cured and slow-dried Madagascar Bourbon beans that removes nearly all the pod moisture. The dried beans are then ground into a powder that is pure concentrated flavor and all vanilla.
LAFAZA Vanilla Sugar – 8 oz: I can not say enough about how good this Vanilla Sugar was! When I was young I would get a spoonful of sugar to rid myself of hiccups – I wish this was around in those days! I wanted to add it to everything I use regular sugar on. I used this to sweeten some whipped cream and it was the best whipped cream I have made to date. I am going to try to be conservative in my use of this, but I do not expect that to last long-term.
All the LAFAZA Madagascar Vanilla products are grown in forest systems and are slow-cured which is what gives it a deep vanilla flavor. The vanilla beans are graded from A-1, A-2, B. The A-1 vanilla beans are the finest of beans produced in Madagascar in that year – think of these as the top of the top. The grade A-2 vanilla beans have the flavor of the A-1’s but could be slightly drier or have very small imperfections, think of these as almost perfect. Finally the grade B are still good beans, with strong aromatics with deepish reddish-black pods. These pods are also known as “Extract Grade” or “Manufacturing Grade” and are widely used in the food, beverage industries. This is the Grade that is used as the base for LAFAZA extracts and pure ground vanilla, so really good pods.
I had never received any other vanilla products other than the ones you can purchase locally, so this was a nice change. This has opened my mind and my taste buds to the possibilities of other specialty extracts. I am eager to further use these products in my normal everyday baking – I encourage you to give them a try for yourself.
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GIVEAWAY: LAFAZA/Field Trading Company, Inc. is offering a Vanilla Sample Pack to my readers! (1) lucky winner will be selected at random to win 1 each of the following: LAFAZA Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans – 2 beans, LAFAZA Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract – 2 oz, LAFAZA Pure Ground Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla – 1 oz and LAFAZA Vanilla Sugar – 8 oz making a $ 47.00 value! I will be randomly choosing 1 person on October 21 (10/21/2015) to receive this sweet pack! Open to residents in the US only. To enter complete the entries below! Winner will be notified by me by email and prize will be fulfilled by LAFAZA/Field Trading Company, Inc. Remember you have 48 hours to claim prize, or I will choose another winner. GOOD LUCK!!!

Yum!!!!
Sarah – this is easily the yummiest vanilla EVER!!!!
I love to make cookies with vanilla extract.
I would make vanilla sugar cookies
I love it in homemade muffins.
Homemade scones
I use vanilla extract quite often. It is the secret ingredient to my world famous mile high french toast! Thank you for the wonderful giveaway.
Erin
I used vanilla in my cheesecake and that is what I will make first.
I love vanilla too! Vanilla anything! I would love to try it in cookies or cupcake frosting first.
Vanilla cheesecake. MMM
I use it in all my baking. I want to make some custard with it to fill cream puffs.
we use it a lot in my family!! I love making cookies with it
I use vanilla in most of my baked goods. The first thing I will make is some chocolate chip cookies.
I love vanilla!! With beans I like to make ice cream or pastry cream with extract I do baked goods
I typically use Vanilla extract in my baking. I will also use it for my husbands oatmeal or yogurt and occasionally in coffee. I will make cookies with it if I win.
for baking cookies and cake
Vanilla?? Vanilla!! Who doesn’t use a lot of it? I use it in all my baking. What cake or cookie is not better with vanilla in it? And yes, add some to your French toast batter, your pancake and waffle batter. In your coffee! love that Vanilla
I mainly use vanilla extract in my baking. First thing I will make is my grandma’s scotchie cookies.
I would make white vanilla cake
I use vanilla in cakes and cookies. Most recently I used it in a pound cake. I’m not sure what I would make first but I would want to use the ground bourbon vanilla because I have never seen or heard of it before today.
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I would put the vanilla extract into a batch of challah french toast.
I put it in everything I bake. I will first use it in cookies!
I use a bit of vanilla in a lot of things! One favorite is a chocolate pudding made from avocados
I add vanilla to eggs, cakes and cookies. It’s great in coffee too.
I’d make some rice pudding.
I use it in baking and vanilla iced latte’s I ad it to my french toast batter.
I use vanilla in everything I bake. probably a cake or some custard if I win
I would make Rice Crispie treats. They’re even more delicious with Vanilla added to the mixture.
I use it in alot of my baking , especially cookies!
I put vanilla extract in most baking recipes.. it’s especially good in homemade whipped cream though! I really want to win for the vanilla beans though – I’ve always wanted to cook with them, but I’ve never actually bought them.
I use vanilla in all of my baking.
We use vanilla extract in numerous recipes and I think the first thing we would make with this vanilla would be our oatmeal & raisin cookies
Baking.
And as a stove top air freshener.
So nice and sweet!
I’m making vanilla cupcakes with vanilla cream cheese frosting!
I love to make creme brulee!
I would use it in my vanilla Italian Buttercream frosting.
I use vanilla in my baking. I would love to try a making my cheesecake. I have only use imitation vanilla, so I don’t have any idea what real vanilla would taste like.
I love to add vanilla to my hot chocolate.
Usually in my chocolate chip cookies or smoothies!
These a look amazing! My favorite things to use vanilla in are cookies and waffles! Yummmmm
I always use Vanilla extract in my cakes and that’s definitely what I’ll be making first.
I would love to make a vanilla pound cake!
I would love to make a vanilla pound cake! YUM
French Toast.
usually as a baking ingredient, so i’ll probably make a cake or cookies
I use Vanilla extract in my Butter Cream Frosting. I am going to make cupcakes with it first if I win.
I make pound cakes and waffles that both use vanilla for!
I use vanilla extract to make my own coffee creamer.
I will make a coconut custard pie with this fantastic vanilla-also, getting ready for the holidays, sugar and chocolate chip cookies.
i use it in milkshakes, whipped cream, and for just about all of my baking- if I am using a packaged mix, I always add some vanilla to perk it up. I would make a vanilla bean cream pie!
I use vanilla extract all the time when I bake and cook. Probably the first thing I would make is Chocolate Chip cookies
Love the smell of vanilla when baking.
I would use vanilla extract to make banana muffins and ice cream!
Thank You for the chance
I would make some muffins for breakfast!
I’d make some pancakes!
I use it in baking but also use it when I make French Toast
I love to win.
I mostly use it for baking but I have been known to use as a scent for the house.
cookies of course:)
I use vanilla most often in homemade ice cream.
I use it when baking!!!!
I like to use vanilla when making my oatmeal cookies
Vanilla is a main ingredient in my grandmother’s buttermilk pie.Thanks so very much for sharing.
I use vanilla a lot when baking. If I won, I would probably make some cookies first. 🙂
Looks delish!
I would use the vanilla extract in making cookies
I use it in cookies.
I would make vanilla bean ice cream!
I use for baking and I would bake cookies first!!
I use it in everything, its a great way to bump up the background flavor in a dish. It makes even chocolate taste more chocolately. The first thing I think I’d make would be some canolli cream!
I love vanilla. I will make some chocolate chip cookies.
cookies!
I actually use vanilla extract in the candles I make! Vanilla is beyond my favorite. I use it in anything I can!
I use it the most in my baking..mostly cookies
I bake all of the time but I’d first like to use this in scones! Thanks so much for the chance to win 🙂
I bake a lot and I use vanilla in every recipe I bake so this would be great
I use it when baking sugar cookies and cupcakes. The first thing I am going to make will be Sugar cookies!!
I use vanilla for baking, pancakes & waffles, ice cream, etc. I think we’ll probably make custard for cream puffs first.
I will use it making cookies.
I would use it in sugar cookies
This giveaway is pretty awesome!!!
Loved this giveaway!
I would make my famous vanilla coconut pound cake using the vanilla extract. YUMMM! Thanks for this chance.
I use it in most of my baking and would use this to make vanilla cupcakes first!
I use vanilla when baking cookies. If I won, I would bake cookies for Thanksgiving.
I saw a gorgeous recipe today for honey vanilla pound cake and that’s what I want to make.
Warmed correctly, vanilla extract makes a wonderful home aroma; along with the usual flavoring duties.
love to try vanilla extract for cakes