Vanilla in Germany
This one’s for all the expats out there. It’s for all those people craving things like these cookies. It’s for all those people desiring a taste of home, assuming, of course, that “home” might include something like this:
Yes! That’s pure vanilla extract purchased right here in Germany. (You didn’t think I was referring to the bird, did you?)
How many expats have fought and struggled to find vanilla in Germany? Pretty much every one I’ve known has craved nothing more… well except maybe real Mexican food. This discovery also means that all you readers out there who have said, “Geez, Katie. I’d love to come be your neighbor in Germany, but boy – I just couldn’t do it without real vanilla extract” can come now. Hooray!
This little package of pure gold by Spice Islands is made in Iowa in 50 mL bottles specifically for the German market – everything on the label is german except the title. My father-in-law found it at Galleria Kaufhaus for 7 or 8 euros. Happy baking.
Keep it green and simple with 2 more ideas:
September 24th, 2009 at 3:31 am
you’re funny! I have read a million recipes/posts on making your own, but I’m just not that desperate. I’d rather import mass quantities purchased on the dollar =) The stuff keeps forever. But…good to know! We have a Galleria in the next big town and I’ll have to see if they carry it when I go there next. How interesting. Too many German friends complain they can’t make their favorite American recipes just right because they can’t buy the extract here, so I’ll just point them to the Galleria!
on another note – I totally wasted a ton of extract and choc chips yesterday. I just about cried. How do you screw up choc chip cookies that you’ve been baking for 20+ years?? don’t ask, but i did and have almost moved on from the incident…ha ha. I’ll be buying more vanilla when we go to the States this Christmas! =)
September 24th, 2009 at 5:13 am
You could also use real vanilla beans. They certainly are more expensive but…their flavor is eons better than the extract. In greece they are easily found in the supermarkets, so I’d say that in germany they’d be cheaper as well
September 24th, 2009 at 7:26 am
gotta love those Iowa Germans!
September 24th, 2009 at 7:46 am
Every British Store I have been to in Germany (9 years worth) has vanilla. As well, the American & Brit imports on line have vanilla. A friend gave be a bottle of “homemade” that is “ready.” Vanilla beans in vodka. Even if it doesn´t work, should be a jolly time eating the whatever.
September 24th, 2009 at 8:07 am
Well personally, I like the little bird too. :) I’ve been meaning to thank you for the package you sent – our internet connection got lost in the moving shuffle. But anyway, I was so excited to open it and the little notebook with the quote was my very favorite part. Thank you!
September 24th, 2009 at 8:25 am
So vanilla is not an ingredient in German recipes? Wow.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
You know you can make your own vanilla extract. Just buy a small bottle of vodka and put some whole vanilla beans in the bottle. In six weeks you will hae the best vanilla ever! Congratulations on your private pilot from another female private pilot! Happy Flying!!
September 24th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
I was going to tell you the same as Carol. You can make your own. Nothing is spicy enough for us in Germany. I can relate to the Mexican food issue it doesn’t get any better the further south you go.lol
September 24th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
mmm… you all have me thinking of baking and vanilla and way too many sweet things at breakfast time! I’ve read that making your own vanilla takes around 3 months, so the fact that some of you are saying it is much faster makes me jump for joy. It might be something to look into one day. For now, we have so much vanilla from the US. I am beyond tempted to find out how much vanilla beans cost now!
Katie
September 25th, 2009 at 10:33 am
If you want to use the vanilla for sweet things, just put a vanilla pod in a jar with a lid, fill it up with sugar and wait for a week or so. As you use up the vanilla sugar, just add new sugar. The vanilla pod will last for years.
September 29th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
I’m going to assume that FIL found it at the Galeria on Alex.
Perhaps I should schlep over there and see what I can find.
I really miss the “authentic” taste I am missing in my American recipes. I use a mixture of vanilla sugar (which is what the Germans use) and a schnapps… A German lady told me that this is how she has been cooking American cookies for years and it “almost” works.
Up to now I haven’t wanted to “self-import” bottles of vanilla extract in suitcases, so I’ve been making due.
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:13 pm
“You could also use real vanilla beans. They certainly are more expensive but…their flavor is eons better than the extract. ”
Yes :-))) plus vanilla extract is all over in almost every shop, I bake all the time and have no problem to find those dr. oetker bottles in any shop. ;-) And, smobody asked – of course we use vanilla in germany in most of the sweet recepies :-)