There is more than one artist with this name:

1) Vanilla - Hugo Har… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:

1) Vanilla - Hugo Harrison - is an instrumental hip hop artist based in Oxford, UK.
Discography:
Into the Dream (2020)
Moonlight (2017)
Origin (2015)
Sweet Talk (2014)
For What It's Worth (2013)
Soft Focus (2012)
High Life (2011)
Chrometrails (2010)
Night Visions (2010)
Thought Process (2009)

Spotify
Bandcamp
Soundcloud
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YouTube

2) Vanilla was a French emo band. Formed in 1992, Vanilla highly contributed to the rise of the so-called "french hardcore scene", along with the now defunct FINGER PRINT and IVICH (among others).

3) Soca artist from Guyana

4) Vanilla were a short-lived girl band from Barnet, London, England. They released just two singles for EMI in the late 1990s.

5) An electro/house artist.

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2-Continued) Definitely influenced by the then innovative american scene, VANILLA stood out with an emotional yet tortured hardcore style; very energetic and personal.

After a few changes in the line-up , the band finds its definitive team in 1999 with former members Yves and Yann Maisonneuve (who were also part of IVICH) , Jean LeBrun(former bass player from 1992 to 1996 , now guitar player since 1999) and Alain Vidal (bass player since 1996) . Yves and Alain were also part of the short-lived band EL VIDAL SONIDO. 2001 is the year of their 3rd album release on Paris-based label SALVATION. This new turn in VANILLA's career marks important changes on a musical level but also on the songwriting field : the members' various influences bring a fresh inspiration yet staying faithful to their hardcore origins (the DISCHORD/Washington DC scene remains an unanimous source of inspiration within the band).

6) Girlband from Indonesia. Member : Ega, Anna, Mutia, ilo, Caca and Carla. Their first single is "Beri Aku Waktu". Vanilla is under Harpa Records and Red Icon Management.

7) A young singer from Quebec, Canada, called Vanille but listed on last.fm as Vanilla -strange bug-. She's influenced by Françoise Hardy, Margo Guryan & Stereolab.

8) Visual Kei band from Japan. Formed in early 2002 by Shinobu. The first demo tape was sold in selected stores in Tokyo on January 15 2002. Another demo tape was distributed at the first live at Shinjuku LOFT
The band had its first oneman live on July 13 at Meguro Rokumeikan right after the release of the first single.
Drummer TAKA left the band in February 2003 in order to marry and retire from the music scene. Shiun from scissor was then invited to join as a support member.
In early 2003 Vanilla collaborated and toured with Fatima and also created an alter ego band titled Le+vanilla.
On July 13 it was announced that the band would cease its activities due to musical differences.

Work It Out
Vanilla Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Please help this is my mayday
I?m out of reach I got lost on the way
I know what you say is true
I?m going anywhere but here with you
I know that I can be wrong
I always listen to the same sad songs

Please give me the chance to live

Forgetting something I still don?t believe
I tried yes I jumped around
I ended up falling on the ground
I know that I can die soon
So use a fork to stick me not a spoon

Just break it out
Just break it out today
I?m gonna pretend that you never went away
Just break it out
Just break it out today
I?m losing my mind

Just break it out
Just break it out today
I?m gonna pretend that you never went away
Just break it out
Just break it out today
Just losing my mind

Please help this is my mayday
I?m out of reach I got lost on the way
I tried yes I jumped around
I ended up falling on the ground
I know that I can be wrong
I always listen to the same sad songs

Just break it out
Just break it out today
I?m gonna pretend that you never went away
Just break it out
Just break it out today
I?m losing my mind

Just break it out
Just break it out today
I?m gonna pretend that you never went away
Just break it out
Just break it out today
Just losing my mind

It's not the same
It's not goodbye
But everytime you walk around
I lose control and follow
Everywhere you go
Everywhere you go
And I know that it may hurt so much
But I just can't take control of that
Start to walk and follow
Everywhere you go
Everywhere you go

everywhere you go
Everywhere you go

everywhere you go
Everywhere you go

everywhere you go
I will follow you

'cause I'd be wasting my whole life
You're my real love
And I can't let go

Please don't turn your head
Please don't turn your head
I don't want you to see
What I'm going to be
I'm fading away tonight

Just break it out
Just break it out today
I?m gonna pretend that you never went away
Just break it out
Just break it out today
I?m losing my mind

Just break it out
Just break it out today
I?m gonna pretend that you never went away
Just break it out

Just break it out today
Just losing my mind

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Vanilla Sky's song "Break It Out" express the singer's desperation for help in the midst of feeling lost and out of control. The opening line "Please help this is my mayday" sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer confesses to being "out of reach" and "lost on the way." The lyrics suggest a feeling of hopelessness and aimlessness, with the singer admitting that they don't know where they're going, but they know they don't want to be there with the person they're singing to. The reference to sad songs suggests that the singer is perhaps trying to find comfort in music that reflects their own emotions.

The chorus of the song, with the repeated phrase "Just break it out today," suggests a desire to escape from the situation that the singer finds themselves in. There is a sense of urgency and desperation in the lyrics, with the singer willing to try anything to break free from the feelings that are holding them back. The line "I'm losing my mind" reinforces this sense of desperation, as the singer feels like they're on the brink of madness.

Overall, the lyrics to "Break It Out" convey a sense of emotional turmoil and a desire for change. The singer is struggling to find their way and is reaching out for help in the hopes of finding a way out of their current situation.

Line by Line Meaning

Please help this is my mayday
The singer is desperately pleading for help as if they are in an emergency situation.

I?m out of reach I got lost on the way
The singer feels like they are unreachable and have lost their way in life, both physically and emotionally.

I know what you say is true
The singer acknowledges that what the other person is saying is true, but they don't want to hear it.

I?m going anywhere but here with you
The artist wants to leave their current situation and not be with the other person.

I know that I can be wrong
The artist is aware that they can make mistakes and be incorrect at times.

I always listen to the same sad songs
The singer tends to listen to sad music frequently, possibly to relate to their own emotions.

Please give me the chance to live
The singer is asking for an opportunity to start living a better life.

Forgetting something I still don?t believe
The artist is trying to forget something that they don't believe actually happened.

I tried yes I jumped around
The artist has tried to do different things to improve their current situation.

I ended up falling on the ground
Despite their efforts, the artist has failed and is now down and out.

I know that I can die soon
The singer is aware of their own mortality and knows that they could die at any moment.

So use a fork to stick me not a spoon
The artist is making a humorous comparison between their desire to die and eating food with a fork or spoon.

Just break it out
The singer is urging themselves and others to break out of their negative emotions or situation.

I?m gonna pretend that you never went away
The singer wants to believe that the other person never left and is still with them.

I?m losing my mind
The singer is experiencing extreme emotional distress and is on the verge of losing their sanity.

It's not the same
Things are different than they used to be for the artist.

It's not goodbye
The artist wants to clarify that their parting with someone is not permanent.

But everytime you walk around
The other person's presence causes the singer to react emotionally.

I lose control and follow
The other person has a powerful hold over the singer's actions and thoughts.

Everywhere you go
The artist follows the other person everywhere they go.

And I know that it may hurt so much
The artist is aware that following the other person no matter what could cause them emotional pain.

But I just can't take control of that
The artist feels powerless to resist their emotions and actions towards the other person.

Please don't turn your head
The singer is asking the other person to not look away from them.

I don't want you to see
The artist does not want the other person to see their current state of emotional distress.

What I'm going to be
The singer is unsure of what their future holds and what kind of person they will become.

I'm fading away tonight
The singer feels like they are slowly disappearing and becoming less real or substantial, possibly emotionally.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DANIELE AUTORE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Skypaw13

2y↑1.6K

My chef father always told me that pure vanilla was more concentrated and imitation was watered down, so you can use imitation in baked goods where a lot of moisture evaporates, but in non-baked desserts/drinks it’s better to use pure vanilla. In classic dad fashion, it seems he was right for the wrong reasons.

First Name Last Name

1y↑1

@sazji wow that's not something I ever knew about. Thanks for the info.

sazji

@First Name Last Name when you make an ice cream mix with cream, milk, sugar, and eggs, typically you cook that to thicken it before you cool it off and freeze it.

First Name Last Name

@lepidoptery I'll have to see a video about it cuz I'm imagining the kind we would make in school tossing bags of cream and ice around.

lepidoptery

@First Name Last Name ... it's not cooked for that long....

First Name Last Name

@lepidoptery wouldn't that just evaporate all the milk?

18 More Replies...

Calslock

2y↑1.1K

A lot of people discussing vanilin oftentimes ignore the fact that there are other aromatic compounds, which really make difference in cold food - THANK YOU for highlighting this!

Jek

It's also rarely the case that "wild" chemicals are actually equivalent to their isolate counterparts, even if youre just talking about the one component such as vanillin. When something comes from an evolved source there are tons of microvariations that by definition cannot have been studied, and even more that have not yet been studied. Chemical soups are almost always more complicated that the one molecule that we associate with its majority. Like, water isn't just h2o, it's also h3o, oh, and likely other things too. The variations are even more vast with life derived molecules

dezmodium

1y↑1

I made my own extract with vanilla beans and Scotch whiskey. I could drink the stuff. And I can always top it off with more Scotch. It keeps extracting the vanilla. I'll die before it thins out.

Be

@rm one can argue that a stronger, more complex flavor is beneficial in cold foods just did this very reason. You gotta amp it up to get it going

rm

1y↑1

A problem is, one is way less sensitive to flavor in cold food anyways. Try eating warm ice cream and see how strong the flavors really are. So why bother with extra fancy?

Tinil0

1y↑5

@Travis Collier I can't stand the people that think "Natural" is, in of itself, a good thing and "Artificial", in of itself, is a bad thing. Or even worse, the people that act like hard-to-pronounce chemical names somehow imply that it is harmful in some way? I understand it's an emotional reaction to the history of commercial foods and certain companies being shady surrounding food additives, but the FDA (And EMA in Europe) is highly trustworthy and generally speaking, everything that is approved for use in foods has studies behind them examining their safety. That's not a 100% foolproof guarantee that everything the approved won't harm you in any way, but it's a hell of a lot more likely to be right than you or your crunchy aunt's "feelings" about artificial ingredients (Especially in cases like this, where the product is chemically identical whether it is from a natural source or synthetically made(Talking about Vanillin here, not all the volatiles in Vanilla as a whole).

4 More Replies...

Limey Lassen

2y↑955

I wonder why these companies aren't more bold about calling it "real vanillin".

Darknimbus3

Because lawyers

Flavio Catarino

1y↑1

they should pay $8 to put a blue mark on it

Some Weeb

@BB2023 "Molecularity identical to vanilla"

Ferocious Malicious Ghost

1y↑1

Because if you don't have some knowledge of science, you'd never know what that is. It might even deter people, like the totally dangerous Hydric Acid that is actually just water.

Roger Washington

If it's not required, probably the same reason you wouldn't trust "real froot"

16 More Replies...

Pedro Franca

2y↑600

That's why I love the Brazilian system for classifying these sorts of products: They can either be "artificial", "identical to natural" and "natural" essences, and those terms are protected classes, meaning you have to fill the legal criteria to be able to use in your label at all

Silicosis

Porra, não sabia.

Kalvin N

1y↑1

@Tragoudistros.MPH wait so I can’t just put MDMA in cookies and tell people they’re made with love? Why not?

I mean who? What?

Pedro Franca

1y↑1

@William Pereira Gomes Ah, that makes a bit more sense. TBH, most processes of the kind, even if they use animal products, generally use some byproducts which would kust be thrown away anyway. Assuming that's off the table anyway, yeah, sometimes it's super hard to know what some products are made of, even some red dyes use crushed bugs to be produced, so the natural might be the only 100% surefire one, albeit being waaaaay more expensive

William Pereira Gomes

1y↑1

@Pedro Franca she's vegan so I thought maybe in the artificial process they use animals somehow but I don't remember what the thing was (I don't think it was actually vanilla) but it did should like the naturalistic fallacy yeah

Pedro Franca

1y↑5

@William Pereira Gomes In some cases, the artificial ones can be not as rich because they're just one compound, while the natural tinctures have multiple compounds. That being said, for stuff like vanilla (which is mainly just vanillin), there's almost literally no difference, and it's just naturalistic fallacy to argue it's worse. Hope this clears it up for her, the more people that understand food labeling and terminology, the better! (other cool examples: ingredients in the list are always in order of highest to lowest amount, "light" can only be used in Brazil if you have another product from the same brand, the "regular" one, and this one has 30% less fat, sugar or calories (up to the manufacturer's choice). There's also some cool regulations for using "juice" and other common terms, like "cheese", "yoghurt" and "chocolate", and some products that pretend to be that but don't meet the requirements use other terms when they do)

5 More Replies...

DDL

2y↑236

In Argentina, I only found three labels: "vanilla natural extract", "vanilla artificial aroma identical to natural" and "vanilla artificial aroma". This last one is actually ethylvanillin which tastes just the same as vanillin but since it's stronger, you need less. But the molecule doesn't exist in nature, that's why it's not identical to "natural vanillin"

Tinil0

1y↑4

The comment I see above you by Pedro Franca also mentions this system being used in Brazil. Evidently, you guys both use the same three-tiered system! Now I wonder if other South American countries follow suit. I am not 100% sure on this so take it with a grain of salt, but to my knowledge, Ethyl Vanillin is only used as vanilla flavoring in other products here in the US, while the Immitation Vanilla for consumers is usually just Vanillin.

Pang

1y↑34

I think people tend to assume that "natural" is an indicator of quality, purity, or authenticity, but all it really means is that the ingredients come directly from things that exist in nature, as opposed to being synthesized in a lab from other things. You might assume that if a strawberry-flavoured product says it has "natural colours and flavours" that the flavour and colour of the product comes from strawberries, but it just means the ingredients used for the colours and flavours come from natural sources. A famous example is carmine, a red dye sometimes made from ground-up cochineal beetles, which can therefore be labeled as natural colour.

Even if the resulting product is the exact same down to the molecular level, the source ingredients are what determines if it gets labeled natural or artificial. It's likely that the distinction is only made as a marketing gimmick, as a way to sustain traditional industries that would otherwise be massively undercut by synthesized products.

Superskrub 420

I thinks it's funny crude oil is never considered a "natural source".

Deus Ex Machina

1y↑2

Traditional industries also keep a lot of folks employed, since no one would bother implementing a method of synthesizing a product that takes more labour than the natural method.

Whether continuing to do something less efficient just to keep more jobs is a good use of resources us another matter...

Green Mario

1y↑44

The best tasting method I've ever had, which is a bit pricy but makes for an amazing taste - get vanilla beans , score them, put them in a bottle of decent white rum, and let it sit under your sink for at least a month. It has all the flavor of pure vanilla extract plus the natural sweet, butterscotch flavors of rum.

Holly Gunn

@penny for your thots wow! Very interesting!!

gildedpeahen

1y↑1

I like this. Vanilla-real bean vanilla-is one of my favorite tastes in the world! Thanks for the idea!

penny for your thots

1y↑1

Funnily enough, I'm pretty sure the vanilla note to get from some aged rums and whiskeys is actually the alcohol stripping the vanillin and similar compounds out of the wood. These aren't present in white rum of course since it isn't aged, but I thought that was just funny.

marstar

1y↑3

It's also very good with a nice bourbon :)

Val Ritz

1y↑2

Plus you wind up with a ton of extract. Whiskey is also a great vehicle for it!

1 More Replies...

Maromania

2y↑212

Wonderful video. That's exactly why I have a little bottle of pure vanilla extract, and a bulk bottle of imitation.

Tinil0

@TheKingOfFailure Soaking beans in vodka is pretty much the exact process they use for Vanilla Extract in the first place, so it makes sense.

TheKingOfFailure

1y↑1

@BoxStudioExecutive cool idea! I've soaked peppers in vodka for super spicy shots, never thought of using that method for Vanilla beans. Great idea!

BoxStudioExecutive

1y↑3

I just have a small bottle of rum to which I added 3 vanilla beans. $30 of vanilla bean has lasted me for 4 years and counting, and I'm not even half way through my bottle. Buying vanilla extract, period, is a waste of money.

Randy Stegbauer

2y↑12

My wife uses "pure extract" for the best chocolate chip cookies. I'll ask her to try the natural or artificial. Maybe we'll be doing the same as you.

Jeffrey

1y↑18

some of the lignin in wood products like paper slowly changes into vanillin as it naturally breaks down, which is part of why really old books smell so good

Jake P.

Wait really? That’s so cool!

Ozzie Storm

2y↑123

I can see the labeling shenanigans being the result of FDA regulations finding it difficult to deal with an artificial end product that is the exact same as the natural one but not really. Regalrdless, thnx for the very informative vid!

Alex Zetsu

1y↑1

How are vanillin made from the actual beans still not enough to be considered vanilla extract? The arbitrary artificial and natural boundary follows some kind of logic even though it's still. I just don't get why some imitation vanilla that not only has the actual chemical but even from the same plant is imitation.

Tinil0

1y↑3

I don't think it's really an issue with chemicals that are identical so much as it is a lobbying issue. Producers of Vanilla Extract spent a lot of time and money protecting their advertising and writing the definitions for the FDA so that they could be protected and force competitors to not fight on a level playing field. I don't think it's entirely wrong of them per se, but this is why food regulations are so complex and bureaucratic.

ElJosher

2y↑54

Interesting fact about vanilla in hot and cold situations. I have both vanilla extracts and imitation in my pantry, but always use the extract because I thought it was just better no matter the application. Now I can save the good stuff for uncooked foods and use the imitation on porridges and baked goods. Thanks!

Christina Cody

1y↑6

I did an "America's Test Kitchen" style test between a generic imitation, "fancy" imitation (Watkins), store brand vanilla extract and "fancy" vanilla extract. I did cookies for a cooked test and smoothies for an uncooked test. The takeaway? Imitation is perfectly fine for baking but keep vanilla extract on hand for smoothies.

Laura Weiss

1y↑1

I discovered Watkins a few years ago, and it’s excellent.

Rebecca Shores

2y↑29

This is exactly why I have both in my pantry. Baking is always imitation, but for any whipped cream or ice cream or really anything else that is going to get little to no heat I always splurge and get fancy vanilla.

Thedudeamongmen Gs

I wonder about making ice cream with vanilla. Some recipes need to be pasteurized. I wonder how much difference it would make to add the vanilla before or after pasteurizing it. And then what difference it makes between extract and imitation. Could be a fun test

Cyn

Buy some beans and vodka. By the time you're out of the others you have cheap homemade vanilla extract.

RandomAxis

2y↑9

These days I just make my own vanilla extract. Score two vanilla beans going the long way, cut them crosswise into 3 or 4 pieces so they fit in a small jar, then cover with a pint/500mL of vodka. Let it steep for four weeks and it's usable, but several months is best.

Daniel Henderson

1y↑5

I have pure vanilin(crystal powder) and while it adds a hint of vanilla to some foods, it also adds a bitterness that is paradoxically overpowering and subtle. It does this when you try to add more to achieve the vanilla flavour you are looking for but can never reach as this flavour is so hollow compared to real vanilla. The smell from this stuff vs ground vanilla pods is absolutely amazing. When i open my litttle jar of ground vanilla pods and smell it, I literally cannot help but smile and feel happy. When I smell vanilin, I'm like "....I think it kinds smells like vanilla....maybe." I get the part about the volatility in combination with heat, but I wonder just how much of the natural flavour is REALLY lost with heating. How much is lost with cooking pudding on the stove under 100C vs baking at 180. I am eating semolina now that I made with real homemade vanilla extract and I can certainly taste it. I am sure the vanilin powder would be barely noticeable.

Austin

2y↑21

Very nice video. The heat removing many of those extra compounds that are in pure extract, makes a lot of sense in retrospect. As a side note, it is very easy to make vanilla extract. Just put vanilla beans and white rum in a jar and let it sit for 6 months. Tastes the same as what you buy in the store, if not better, and a fraction of the cost. I have a whole pint that cost me about $30, and that is using grade A beans and a decent rum.

Nyx H.

1y↑2

Grade B vanilla beans are more often used for extract, they have less moisture so you need less per the amount of alcohol, and they’re cheaper than grade A. Grade A beans are plump, which makes them great for cooking, but when extracting the flavor you don’t want that extra moisture

bruv

2y↑6

@Eddie Enriquez If you want closer to the original flavor, I would suggest neutral flavored alcohols, the higher the proof the faster it will extract. Some rums are more neutral than others, but maybe some like the resulting flavor. Everclear can get it done fast, but sometimes has a bit of a renaming flavor. Additionally, doing it in the fridge can slow down the process.

Eddie Enriquez

2y↑1

I thought you were supposed to use a flavorless vodka?

Austin

2y↑4

@Ben Shaw Apparently this platform doesn't like me saying the company name because my initial reply got deleted, but the big online one with the same name as the rain forest. You can get 10 grade A Madagascar vanilla beans for $15.

Ben Shaw

2y↑7

Where are you getting beans? $30 would get me 5 or 6 vanilla beans. Or does it just take a lot less pods than I’m picturing?

Thomas Junker

2y↑72

I’m one of those people that has always refused to skimp on vanilla. I always go for a high quality extract, especially when making custard and eggnog from scratch. I’m definitely going to try using imitation when it comes to baked goods in the future, though(and maybe do a blind taste test for fun)

ooooneeee

@BoxStudioExecutive okay billionaire.

suzz

Iv done that blind taste test before and it is the most obvious thing. The fake crap is obvious and gross. Real beans have other components than just that one compound. There r hints of cocoa and coffee and spices etc.. in the beans and it depends on where it was grown. Real vanilla beans have a depth to them that the fake crap can't replicate.

Punyavee Naunlaong

1y↑1

@BoxStudioExecutive lol, I raise many duck and chicken but I still buy egg anyway.

metachirality

1y↑1

@BoxStudioExecutive Not curing your own vanilla doesn't mean you can't plan ahead. It just means you're only willing to plan ahead for things that actually matter and not barely noticeably better tasting food once in a while.

Owain d'Ylisse

1y↑1

Nice idea about the beans, thanks, bad ideas about everything else. Take care!

20 More Replies...

T Boogz

1y↑3

It's a bit pricey to start, but making your own vanilla extract at home using beans comes out really cost effective. Especially given that the beans can be reused practically indefinitely. I bake a lot and usually make about half a gallon a year.

Emeril Huang

2y↑36

Would have been cool to talk about how you can make your own extract with the leftover vanilla pods and some liquor. That can make the steep price of beans more palatable for some :D

hustler3of4culture3

1y↑2

@Brother Mine I love Brownian motion from the cream in my coffee

noob19087

2y↑1

@Brother Mine Both help, of course, but I'd say artificial motion works even better in my opinion. Though I've ever only tried the 2 in combination, so I can't say for sure. I made an oak tincture for wine making that was supposed to take weeks overnight with the vibration trick. I used dice sized pieces that were toasted and crushed with a mortar. In just an hour it was an amber colour and tasted like whiskey, overnight it was almost coffee coloured with a very strong taste.

Brother Mine

2y↑1

@Becca Mei : Since Brownian motion and random kinetic energy are ubiquitous, is it more important to increase surface area (by slicing & dicing) than to add artificial motion?

Becca Mei

2y↑5

@noob19087 Any movement should do the trick. In chemistry reactions work faster with more mixing of the molecules. So higher surface area, heat (what would not be great for this certain product) and moving the mixture with stirring or shaking

noob19087

2y↑7

One trick I've discovered is that vibrations help quicken the extraction. Just put the jar on some vibrating appliance (I used an air purifier) and leave it there for as long as you have, it will extract quicker. If you have an ultrasonic cleaner (designed for cleaning jewelry and such) that will work really well.

Shivaguru Pandian

2y↑34

Your videos are amazing! It's really awesome to learn all the scientific facts behind the most common food items we consume on a regular basis and you are doing an excellent job of elucidating it to us ❤❤❤❤

Brenda Walton

Thanks for the money saving tip!🍦

Isomer Mashups

1y↑3

IMO, "harvested" vs. "synthesized" would be the best labelling.

Lordyhgm

1y↑2

A further point, synthesised vanilla contains a portion of ethyl vanillin, which has the exact same flavour but stronger. It can have a mild metallic aftertaste but only in stronger concentrations so use a smidge less either way for the same effect

Brother Mine

2y↑2

If the synthesized vanillin was simply labeled vanillin instead of vanilla, would they still be required to label it artificial?

Adox J. Roig Oviedo

1y↑6

OMG this video was SO USEFUL. I was always feeling bad for buying "fake vanilla". Thank you guys!

R Voit

Feeling BAD for NOT getting RIPPED OFF????

nebulan

2y↑2

Great education. When i learned how hard vanilla beans were to grow i mistook that to mean they were bad for the environment. Seems like recycling byproducts would be ecofriendly. It's probably a mix for each.

Urooj

1y↑3

In India in local shops you most see vanilla essence which is basically imitation i think. Pure vanilla extract can be found in big stores or online shops . The difference between both of them can be more than 10 times the cost

DoomCheeks

2y↑9

Thank you for giving me a video to post when people push back when I recommend imitation vanilla. I try to explain to them that it's molecularly identical, but they still think it's from beaver butts and sawdust. I get it if someone likes the flavor of the extra aromatic compounds and alcohol in a fresh food like buttercream. Personally, the artificial has a more pure flavor to me that doesn't mess with the rest of the recipe, and I'm cheap, so I'll stick to the 'fake' stuff.

Chocomint Queen

1y↑1

Even if it is from beaver butts and sawdust... like, who cares? It's chemically pure. A shocking number of chemicals most people eat on a regular basis are made from "sawdust", and everyone drinks water that was someone's pee once.

Seeking The Love That God Means

1y↑3

There are supposedly only about 300 pounds of beaver behind extract (castoreum) harvested in the whole world in a year, most of which goes into perfumes. It seems unlikely to me that it would be worth using it to amp up synthetic vanilla, even if it could.

Matt S

2y↑2

The label 'natural vanilla aroma' sparked a recent discussion about if this means that the product was actually grown or if the C13 was just adjusted to the natural amount of C13 in vanilla. I would have enjoyed if you got into the C13 discussion as well but understand that it might be a little too much into the materia

Harsh Joshi

1y↑1

I have 2 questions:

1) In India, food labels have, in addition to the categories 'Natural' and 'Artificial flavoring' a third category called natural-identical substances. Does the US not have that.

2) I am a biologist and I have Vanillin in my lab! I had been wondering if I could use that to bake stuff (assuming it is uncontaminated). Thoughts?

LFTRnow

That was interesting. I wondered how I was able to buy a large amount (about a liter or 2) of vanilla for little money when it was listed as "natural". Makes so much sense now. Thanks!
(I'm keeping and using it, it is great, I just wondered why it was so cheap when I thought it came from the beans)

Daniel Bickford

2y↑5

Another fascinating video. And a barely related memory popped up. While back I'd ran across a tumblr post where someone ran across something saying that if you put a cap of vanilla in a baking dish and put that in a warm oven your entire kitchen will smell wonderful. Unfortunately they had misread it as a cup of vanilla instead and their house smelled like "the Pillsbury Doughboy's anus" I just pray they use the artificial stuff.

redstone1999

1y↑1

OMG ! I laugh so much. Thanks for that story.

Jacob B

1y↑2

I remember that pilsbury doughboy post 😂😂

James Younger, DDS

2y↑3

What a great channel - found it by MinutePhysics. I have a well-worn copy of Harold McGee's "On Food and Cooking", every episode of Alton Brown's Good Eats on DVD, and all 3 of the Good Eats books. So this is just right up my alley, thank you for doing this! The science of cooking for a whole new generation 🙌

JackTastickk

This is completely true. I was always doing this and didn't know why. I have the natural flavor vanilla that I use for french toast and I have the artificial one that I use for baking

Owen Eastwood

2y↑2

I'm still wondering about the environmental and societal aspects of this, particularly in regard to deforestation in Madagascar or the labor required to cultivate vanilla.

Riley Nicholson

This is it for me as well. You're talking the difference between a fairly well paying chemistry job and low paying farm work in some of the world's most sensitive ecosystems. I'm sure vanilla can be cultivated in a sustainable way, but I don't think that is currently the case.

Rye Dawson

I’m wondering bout vanilla bean ice cream. Ice cream is cooked, which gets rid of aromatics, and then freezes, which makes it basically impossible for any leftover molecules to make it to your nose. While I agree with beans for creme pat, it seems like freezing should be mentioned as well.

Ethan

2y↑6

Wow, fascinating! I wonder how the other aromatic compounds in vanilla beans affect the flavor.

Ferocious Malicious Ghost

1y↑2

Not too much. That's why we have vanilla extract, but we can't get anything like roast beef extract. Not only does it sound gross, but there are so many chemicals that cause the smell and flavor that it would be very hard to even try to emulate it.

Glorf Burfington

I honestly feel like I can appreciate the organic productions of vanillin, and synthetic. But that doesn't make either better than another... Just different. Look at French vanilla ice creams. I feel like fats carry flavors better. Well... more. Only point here is I REALLY value vanilla bean scrapings... More than an extract. But only in some situations. So I agree. It's... Complicated and both are delicious. 😋 For... Almost no difference.

Riley Nicholson

I'm surprised you didn't mention probably my top reason to use imitation/artificial vanilla, which is that it's production most likely has less negative impacts on the environment and less reliance on poorly paid labour.

The plural is actually "asparageese".

Last I knew (this could be outdated), synthesized vanillin was known to exacerbate some neurobehavioral conditions, & vanilla was comparatively not. I seem to experience negative effects from it, though of course I can't confidently be sure that's the cause since it's always in complex foods (but the correlation does persist whether the food uses refined sugar or neuro-friendly sugar substitutes). Idk, just tossing this out there for consideration in case anyone happens upon this comment & can elaborate on the science here for me or can use this as food (ha) for thought.

AmyX

I get the “real” vanilla. I used to use it as perfume actually, a little bottle has lasted me literally years. So not a huge price difference.

Philos

2y↑17

The bee drawing at 0:35 is _amazing_. Just like the rest of the video!

CaptainIronBat

1y↑1

As someone who has worked in a bakery and has tasted several different vanillas and imitation vanillas, I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt there's a huge difference of flavor. Now most can't tell the difference because they've grown up with mostly imitation vanillas and real vanilla here and there, and mist don't have as sensitive of a pallet as my family.. Now which is better is up to personal preference and the brand.

Jason Zhang

2y↑2

I'd love to see a collab between MinuteFood and Food Theory.

Andrew Mitchell

2y↑2

Huh, thanks. That was fascinating. Useful to know, as someone who's always gone for the extract in my baking.

DiabloMinero

"wood that's been burned and boiled" is very similar to the process of barrel aging spirits. The inside of the barrel is charred and then left in contact with liquid for long enough to let the flavors dissolve out.

josh bishop

1y↑1

You know what's not confusing? Making it yourself from the beans.

It takes months or years depending on who you ask but you can make much more of it for less money. Do it once and you'll have the real thing to help you decide for yourself if the real thing is better or not.

Rusvul

Thanks for the informative video. I noticed that in the thumbnail image and the lineup at around 2:00 the McCormick bottle does still have the registered trademark symbol showing (the blue "M" and red lower case "c" in a square. They get cheeky and put the ® to the side of the square, unlike the one at the top of the bottle which you covered up that has the ®inside the square). I don't see how this could get you in any trouble, but then I don't make youtube videos : )
Just letting you know since you went through the effort of obscuring the brand names and logos of the vanilla products elsewhere in the video.

Andrew Evenson

1y↑2

It tastes different, and I prefer the taste of natural vanilla. It’s kinda like artificial candy flavors, they have the exact same primary chemical that is responsible for the flavor, but it ultimately tastes nothing like the fruit cause those extra minuscule compounds add so much complexity to the flavor. Comparing vanilla with imitation vanilla is akin to comparing a strawberry to a strawberry flavored dum dum. Sure, the dum dum tastes good, but it doesn’t taste like a strawberry.

Soil'n'Rock

2y↑7

Love your videos, especially the one about crunchyness/crispyness!
Quick remark to this video: at 2:38 there's some double bonds missing in the right molecule ;-)

Soil'n'Rock

@brusicor02 Oh, didn't even notice, good catch! - could have been a methyl in theory, obviously I didn't check the whole molecule :-)
To be perfectly honest, I find it kind of disappointing, I hate 'scientific' errors in 'science-videos'! :-/

brusicor02

1y↑1

And systematically forget the H of the aldehyde.

Startcadian

2y↑7

i've been working at a flavor company for 4 months and i still dont really get what gets labelled as "natural" and "artificial (identical to natural)" so thanks for reassuring me its not simple at all lol

R Voit

1y↑1

There is NO actual DEFINITION of “NATURAL!!!”

Chris Galpin

1y↑1

It would be interesting to add real vanilla after baking to see how different it tastes. Send me royalties when you use my idea.

LawAbidingCitizen

Honestly, since most of what I make hardly uses the vanilla as the main flavour, I never use real vanilla and it's served me well so far

FishFeed

"Why is it so much more expensive!" Well you see, one's created in a lab and the other is the stamen of a tropical orchid, so one has a supply problem and is therefore much more expensive. Like most spices throughout history, the more exotic and rare it is, the more it costs to grow and source.

Kovas Palunas

2y↑1

You should do a blind taste test of the two types in cold and warm foods!

Brother Mine

Three types were mentioned: artificial vanillin, natural vanillin, and natural vanillin plus the other aromatic molecules found in vanilla beans.

Sam Chaney

The fact that synthetic vanilla flavor is the exact same molecule as the main flavor compound in vanilla is also true for almost all artificial fruit and vegetable flavors. The main thing is that there are tens or hundreds of different aromatic compounds in any given fruit or vegetable that combine to create the natural flavor

Faris Haque

Although this information is accurate, there's something you overlooked: that is, how the extraction process precisely differs among the different products.

Synthetic vanillin comparitively requires far more reagents for its synthesis, not to mention the fact that its starting materials are not exactly edible. This is due to the fact that synthetic vanillin must be produced rather than merely extracted as is the case for vanillin from the vanilla bean.

Yes, I understand the major product should be vanillin, but there is significant room for contamination from starting materials and other toxic reagents in synthetic vanillin (i.e., leftover/unreacted petroleum derivatives like propylene, benzene, phenol and leftover reagents.

Since vanillin is simply extracted from vanilla beans, by nature it cannot contain such potential contaminants. This is an important factor to consider. Now, as someone who strongly supports and is even involved in research, I am not against science by any means. However, I think it is important to consider the potential health impacts in cases like this that we simply do not have data on.

Riley Nicholson

1y↑1

And we should also weigh those health concerns against the environmental and ethical concerns around vanilla cultivation. There are many potential paths forward to a healthier and more sustainable vanilla supply chain. Solutions range from stricter standards for synthetic vanilla to greenhouse production with automated pollination.

Nick Combs

1y↑1

Another aspect of this choice is that vanilla bean production causes deforestation and uses a lot of water, so it is highly unsustainable for the environment.

KuruGDI

2y↑1

Gosh dang it! After watching this video I would be totally in for vanilla ice cream 😩

Cyn

Vanilla extract is really easy to make at home as well, it just takes time. You need vanilla beans and vodka. Put the beans in there and wait at least 8 weeks. Best flavour takes about a year. Keep the beans submerged and the alcohol content high enough and it should never go off.

Alex Zetsu

1y↑1

A lot of artificial flavors are chemically identical to the things they are trying to imitate. However a descent minority of them are not. They're just something chemists made that happened to be similar to the model flavor. Methyl anthranilate was found from industrial coal tar and someone decided they tasted like grape. Well actually in the 3rd millennium we did find out they were found in grapes, but for the most part in many times a someone said a newly produced chemical kind of tasted like something, the imitation isn't in the model food. So in some cases artificial/imitation flavors are chemically identical to the flavor chemicals in the model food, but other times they aren't. When they are chemically identical, it doesn't make sense to go out of the way for the model when the imitation is easier to make. In the case of imitation vanilla, they are chemically the same and its much easier to make in a lab. When they are chemically different, well the question is what tastes better to you?

freder

I switched to imitation vanilla during the pandemic because the natural stuff became impossible to find. I wasn’t able to tell the difference, though I use it solely for baking so I’ll probably continue to go with the artificial

MannyXVIII

2y↑1

Recreating flavours is really like playing the lottery. If you have a flavour that is mostly or even fully one molecule( the latter hasn't happened as far as I know if the original is a plant) then recreating it (even if it is a bit complicated) will yield great and probably cheaper results when compared with the real thing. More often than not though, you end up like the people trying to find the flavour of cappuccino. The scientists had such a hard time nailing down what the composition of this flavour is that they used Chomatography. Chromatography is the science of splitting a mixture of things apart so you can perform tests or even just identify the parts. Usually a specialized sensor at the end of the machine would check for a property of the molecule presented to him and you can identify them that way, but this wasn't enough for the scientists. They added a sort of snorkle to the outlet so one of them could smell what the sensor is identifying. They ended up with the weirdest set of smells that make up the capuchino flavour. I sadly don't remember the details of the lecture, so I don't recall what smells they made out, but I am certain that it was all sorts of smells you would not expect to find in foods.

NotreDanish

If Vanillin is a chiral molecule then there might be an actual chemical difference between the artificial vs natural vanillin, but idk if it’s chiral or not. (Chiral means “right-handed” or “left-handed” for those that might not know)

Lucas Mulberg

From my own experience I perfer to use whole vanilla beans when I make vanilla Ice Cream, of course the actual bean wont make in into the ice cream, but they are boiled with the milk.

Ragamuffin

Great video, but I'm confused because there is a noticeable flavour difference between baked goods made with real vanilla vs. those made with artificial

Riley Nicholson

Maybe you just have a more sensitive palate than most people? Or maybe it's confirmation bias because you know which has vanilla extract?

King Genghis

Lovely video, I wish more people understood this! Well put! :)

cyrosgold7

You could also go to the Ethnic section of most supermarkets and find cheaper pure vanilla in the hispanic section. It also comes in larger bottles.

Mermaid and Droopy

I'm surprised you didn't mention that the majority of synthesized vanillin comes from crude oil. Or if you did, I missed it. I wonder if the world eventually switches to solar as our main form of energy, would imitation vanilla prices go up because of this?

Also in the US, once something is labeled as synthetic or imitation there aren't as many regulations they have to go through to source the materials so it's a possibility that trace amounts of compounds or molecules from the synthesization process could enter and the FDA would not require them to be labeled. So even though the molecules are identical, sourcing them from petrochemicals could have a detrimental effect on health. If it doesn't effect an individuals health, then they can tolerate it and be fine, but studies have even found that for a few people, these molecules derived from petrochemicals could triggers allergic reaction and headaches where natural vanilla would not. If people want imitation I think it's important to consider that you may want to make sure it comes from sources like rice instead of crude oil.

Water Under The Bridge

She kinda answers her own question in the later part. It’s called “imitation vanilla” not “imitation vanillin” because it imitates vanilla, not vanillin ‘cuz it uses a part to imitate the whole thing. Just like how weather simulations can only approximate real weather by using a model calculating with just a fraction of real-world data, this imitation also just approximates the real flavour by using a fraction (or even just a single one) of the compounds contained in vanilla

Artifying

This is good timing. I just used the last of my vanilla and need to buy more!

Estyria

Think I'll stick with buying the beans and making the extract myself, thanks. Not knowing what the heck the imitation stuff is synthesized from actually matters to me, if only for the "freak out" factor.

witheld

1y↑1

Vanillin is the primary taste of vanilla- but it’s not the entire flavor profile of real vanilla, and they are distinguishable.

That being said I mostly use vanillin.

Christopher

It’s really not that confusing since each says what it actually is. It’s “imitation” because it’s attempting to imitate vanilla flavor. Since it’s just one compound of many, it’s an imitation. It’s “artificial” simply because it’s a constructed molecule and not extracted as is, like in an “extract”.

Brandon

Here is my reasoning for using only real high quality vanilla extract. I don't use a lot of it, and it's going to degrade over time. If I used imitation vanilla for baked goods and real vanilla extract for things that are not cooked I would still end up spending just as much money as I would not go through all of it before it started degrading.

Rockspoon

1y↑1

They're "artificial" or "imitation" vanilla because they're imitating vanilla. That they contain vanillin is irrelevant, because vanilla is more than vanillin.

Tiago M. P. Mattos

2y↑3

Vídeo bem informativo, obrigado!

BluishGreenPro

2y↑2

Better (or at least cheaper) living through science!

Tae Ho Kim

Perhaps the best alternative to vanilla extract for baking based on my experience is almond paste mixed with raw cane sugar caramel. And it's halal as there is absolutely no alcohol or ethanol being involved in the process.

Jessica Harris

It is possible to make vanilla extract without alcohol. I've made it with vegetable glycerin, distilled water and vanilla beans. I haven't used much of it since I made it to flavor lip balm so I cannot promise that it's 100% equivalent to alcohol based vanilla extract but I can say that it smells delightfully floral.

Kalvin N

I find the real stuff takes longer to diffuse too, the synth stuff spreads out evenly

Princess Luna

As a kid, I once ate too much of..I don't really remember what exactly it was, but it had the artificial stuff in it. Well, naturally, kids overeating on sweets leads happens, but I really overdid it and had to throw up. Ever since, the artificial stuff just grosses me out so much and I get sick immediately. Even in baked goods. Our bodies are weird and hypersensitive to the weirdest things sometimes

Charles Starks, Jr

1y↑1

I spend less by buying the beans through a FB group that gets them directly from the source, so it's a fraction of the cost of getting beans somewhere like Amazon. Then I take the beans and make my own extract.

Alain Martel

Even in the best case, not everyone can distinguish between the best natural vanilla extract and artificial vanilla.

Paul S Rohrbaugh

I am happiest with a 50/50 mix of natural Madagascar vanilla and Mexican Vanilla. The latter has a very distinct flavor which I enjoy, but don't think is best by itself. The mix provides a nice broad spectrum of flavor which is 10/10 for me, especially in applications like homemade ice-cream.

Rockspoon

1y↑1

3:08 There is IDEALLY no chemical difference between the different vanillas, correct. We do not live in an ideal world, however, and contamination is a fact of life. Would you rather have a few small chunks of a seed pod in the bottom of your vanilla bottle or a thin film of petroleum on top?

Anthony O

There are physics/chemistry reasons why synthesized compounds can behave entirely differently from biologically produced compounds. Compounds can have multiple non superimpossable positions known as chirality, basically compounds can have multiple different structures in space, similar to how your hands are mirror images of each other and wouldn't fit a glove for the opposite hand. Biological chemical processes will produce the same chirality. However, all chiral positions are created when compounds are synthesized. This slight difference is why some pharmaceutical drugs have adverse side effects, even if they are identical to a natural substance.

Ben Müller

The idea that all secondary flavour compounds of the vanilla bean leave your dish when subjecting it to high heat only held true if none of those compounds reacted with any of the other ingredients in your dish, didn't dissolve into the lipid fraction and didn't form any azeotropes or weren't complexed, which is an oversimplification that doesn't hold true.

Even if that were the case, foods such as dough etc. tend to self-insulate leading to a different core temperature than the exterior, allowing some of the compounds to remain inside parts of the dish.
They might also trap forming gases/vapours (that is how bread rises after all) inside the product, allowing them to condense again when they cool down.

Chemically there will always be a difference.

Now if that difference translates to a superior tasting product is a different discussion entirely, and that is up to each individual person to figure out for themselves

lifeisqwertyful

I heard artifial vanilla is derived from beaver musk glands (or at least it used to be) so Ive seldom used it over the years lol

alberto verdugo arreguin

For a second I thought you wouldn't mention the other compounds, I've seen enough nilered to know that they make a difference in the fragrance.

Misael Aguilar

Wow videos should be made like this one... so easily expleained and with drawings and all

Claire madperson

Just for clarity sake. The vanillin shown contains a ketone group with a methyl on one side and the rest of the molecule on the other side. In reality, vanillin does not have the methyl group making it an aldehyde rather than a ketone. Either way good vid, it just bothered me enough to type this

Sarah James

1y↑1

i never use anything other than vanilla paste. all the flavor, PLUS the little seeds inside the pods for a texture and flavor experience

dekjet

2y↑1

I don't use much vanilla and the real stuff is easier to get for me. So that's it for me.

BoneWulfe

The key word is "most". For me that's enough to justify buying the good good stuff, but I've always been able to tell the milk is going off a day or two before anyone else in my family could tell. I've always been sensitive to smells and flavors. It might be interesting to try a controlled taste test, because my tests in the past have always been more "I can't afford the good stuff" leading to later "why do these cookies taste funny? Oh right, I bought the cheap vanilla"

Campfire Bandit

Me and my wife order vanilla beans online and immerse them in Vodka for 3-6 months to make vanilla extract for a fraction of the cost!

DiabloMinero

Most of the interesting flavor of vanilla extract isn't the vanillin. Yes, it is the flavor that slaps you across the face. But saying imitation vanilla is just as good because it still has vanillin is like saying vodka is a good substitute for single-malt scotch because both have ethanol.
Maybe I could use imitation vanilla for cooking without losing anything. But I'm not dealing with the hassle of having two different liquid vanilla flavorings in my spice cabinet.

Yuri Rego

2y↑1

Your videos are great and very informative, but your vanillin structures are wrong (consistently). It should be an benzaldehyde (C(=O)H) but it is shown in the video is in fact apocynin, an acetophenone (C(=O)CH3).

MinuteFood

2y↑1

Thanks - you're right, that was an oversight on our part!

Pascal Angenent

Vanillin is only one of the compounds in real vanilla. Really vanilla is incredibly complex, like a fine wine. And like a fine wine the flavor can be dramatically different depending where and under what conditions it was grown. So it's nothing like a bottle of vanillin. Do your research.

Viktor Kock Appelgren

2y↑1

I need to get a shelf named Edmund to house my vanilla ingredients!

RD M

2y↑1

Several years ago America's Test Kitchen did a taste test of vanilla baked into chocolate chip cookies. The cheap, fake vanilla won. It was only $1 for a bottle. People can't tell the difference. You're a money-squandering fool if you buy expensive vanilla. 😂

Or as another cookbook author wrote: "Your kids won't be the least bit impressed by which area of Tahiti or Madagascar your vanilla was grown in. Just use the cheap stuff. They'll never know the difference."

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