Vanilla: Boring or the Best? with Claire Saffitz
4/13/202644 min
We think vanilla has gotten a bad reputation, so we’re here to correct the record: Vanilla is anything but boring.
To prove our point, we invited one of the country’s biggest vanilla fans (and all-around star baker) Claire Saffitz to come on the pod and argue why we should all be giving vanilla its due. Then we answer your baking questions in Ask the Bakers, covering everything from how to substitute different extracts to the real difference between vanilla extract and vanilla paste. Jessica has an opinion on the surprising way to put your biggest vanil...
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJessica Battilana· Host0:00
You know, I don't wanna co-opt this whole episode to talk about vanillin.
David Tamarkin· Host0:02
Yeah. But I do think we should brainstorm some different names for it.
Jessica Battilana· Host0:05
We are- Like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna say Felicia.
David Tamarkin· Host0:07
[laughs] Let's just call it Felicia.
Jessica Battilana· Host0:09
From King Arthur Baking Company, this is Things Bakers Know. I'm Jessica Battaglini, King Arthur's staff editor.
David Tamarkin· Host0:16
And I'm David Tamarkin, editorial director at King Arthur Baking.
Jessica Battilana· Host0:19
And today we're talking about vanilla. [Ding] You know, it's kind of funny 'cause somewhere along the line, vanilla became a descriptor for, like, a really basic, super boring, kind of ordinary thing or person.
David Tamarkin· Host0:36
Yeah.
Jessica Battilana· Host0:37
[laughs] But it's actually- [laughs] Yeah.
David Tamarkin· Host0:39
Not that you've ever, not that you've ever used it that way.
Jessica Battilana· Host0:41
No, of course not.
David Tamarkin· Host0:42
No.
Jessica Battilana· Host0:43
It's actually one of the most fascinating, delicious ingredients in the world, and I learned so much researching this that really is kind of mind-blowing.
David Tamarkin· Host0:52
Yeah. Today we are gonna flip the script on vanilla, and after this episode, you're gonna be using the w- term vanilla to describe interesting things.
Jessica Battilana· Host1:00
Yeah.
David Tamarkin· Host1:00
Like quantum physics, so vanilla. [laughs] You know? Like, the state of the world is so vanilla. Oh my gosh.
Jessica Battilana· Host1:07
[laughs] I love it. Yeah. We're just re- gonna- we're reimagining. Um, so before we get into talking about, like, the flavor of vanilla, I think we need to talk about what vanilla is.
David Tamarkin· Host1:18
Yes. You're gonna give me a lesson, I can feel it.
Jessica Battilana· Host1:21
Yeah.
David Tamarkin· Host1:22
[laughs] Like, since you're coming- This dynamic is really starting to evolve.
Jessica Battilana· Host1:25
So vanilla is the seed pod of a vanilla orchid, I mean,