Owen Franken/Getty Images Around 80 percent of vanilla comes from Madagascar, but it's not native ... of flavor compounds present in pure vanilla extract, and its all of those compounds combined ...

Vanilla paste is a convenient and time-saving alternative to whole vanilla beans. It is made by blending crushed vanilla ...

Vanilla is native to Mexico, but deforestation there has greatly reduced its natural habitat. In Madagascar, where over 80% of vanilla is produced, the flowers have to be pollinated by hand.

What form you buy the extract in matters, too. As such, it's important to understand the different types of vanilla available ...

The brand of vanilla extract you use also matters, with some tasting more artificial than others. If you can't find Madagascar vanilla extract or paste, feel free to scrape out the seeds from a ...