Most of the real vanilla extract* used in the U.S. is Bourbon† vanilla, also called Madagascar vanilla.

As a Mother’s Day gift for someone who loves to make desserts, how about one of the world’s finest vanillas?

Everyone knows about Bourbon vanilla. It’s become standard in the U.S., available in bulk as well as quality brands.

It comes from Madagascar and although vanilla extract contains some alcohol, Bourbon vanilla has nothing to do with the alcohol Bourbon.

Rather, it’s named after the Bourbon rulers of France.
 
 
*An astonishing 97% of all vanilla products are synthetic, made of paper by-products! Artificial vanilla has been around since the late 19th century. But, tempting as it is to save money, there’s nothing like the real thing
 
†The term Bourbon applies to beans Madagascar and the neighboring Comoro, Réunion and Seychelles. There is no connection with the liquor produced in Kentucky in the United States. It is called Bourbon after the French House of Bourbon that ruled France from 1272 to 1830, ending with the French Revolution. The island now known as Réunion was named Île Bourbon in 1649 and renamed Réunion in 1793.

The most trusted name in vanilla. Nielsen-Massey sells beans and produces extract for Bourbon/Madagascar, Mexican and Tahitian vanillas. Photo courtesy Nielsen-Massey.

Here are the differences from Nielsen-Massey, a family business that has been devoted to vanilla for three generations:

Bourbon Or Madagascar Vanilla

Character: sweet, creamy and mellow with velvety after-tones. The vanilla of choice with chocolate and cream.

Use in: anything requiring vanilla. It’s the benchmark.
 
Mexican Vanilla

Character: sweet and creamy with a deep, spicy character. Often selected by chefs for an added level of finesse to chili, barbecue sauce, tomato sauce, salsa and other spicy foods.

Use in: cakes, frozen desserts, ginger snaps and other spiced cookies, hot chocolate.
 
Tahitian Vanilla

Character: fruity, anise-like flavor with floral notes. Use in cold or quickly-heated dishes; Tahitian vanilla’s delicate flavors don’t hold up well under extensive heating like baking.

Vanilla beans are also grown in Guatemala, Hawaii and the West Indies. Vanilla is a tropical plant, and can only grow 10 to 20 degrees north and south of the equator.

Here’s everything you need to know about vanilla, including types of vanilla products, how to buy vanilla and the best vanilla extracts and beans.
  

In the chips? Add lobster to your guacamole! While lobster salad is also popular in an avocado half (i.e., stuffed avocado), you can add a twist using it atop guacamole. For special occasions, of course.

This recipe is adapted from one sent to us by Dos Caminos restaurant in New York City.
 
 
RECIPE: LOBSTER GUACAMOLE

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Garnishes

 
Preparation

1. MASH 1 tablespoon of cilantro, 1 teaspoon onion, 1 teaspoon minced chile, and the salt together in a medium-size bowl, using the back of a spoon to mash against the bottom of the bowl.

2. ADD the chopped lobster to the bowl. Add the avocados and gently mash them with a fork until chunky smooth.

3. FOLD in the remaining cilantro, onion, and chile. Stir in the tomatoes and lime juice; taste to adjust the seasonings.

4. GARNISH with the pickled ginger or extra cilantro. Serve with warm corn tortilla chips.
 
 
TO WARM TORTILLA CHIPS

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet or pan with parchment paper (optional, for easier clean-up).

2. ADD the tortilla in a single even layer. Heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until the chips are warm.
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF AVOCADO

> THE HISTORY OF LOBSTER

[1] Fancy schmancy: lobster guacamole (photo © Temazcal Cantina | Boston).

[2] Tortilla chips taste so much better when warmed in the oven before serving (photo © Cabo Chips).

[3] Pickled ginger, the sushi condiment, adds an exotic garnish to the lobster guacamole (photo © Cotton Bro | Pexels).

We’ve been asked how to put together a cheese plate for Cinco de Mayo. Truth to tell, Mexico’s signature cheeses, from fresh to aged, are white cheeses made for cooking. They’re not intended to be nibbled during cocktail hour or as a cheese course.

To learn about Mexican cheeses for cooking, read our article, Cooking With Hispanic Cheese.

For a cheese course, we have three recommendations. You can serve one or all:

Creative presentation: wedges of Manchego cheese topped with wedges of membrillo and a sprinkling of chili powder. Photo courtesy The Best Spanish Recipes.

 
We’re already getting hungry for this cheese plate!
 
*Quince paste, often made in a loaf form, is a sweet, thick, jelly made of the pulp of the quince fruit. It is sliced and served with the cheese.

†Marcona almonds, imported from Spain, are a variety of sweet almond. They’re slightly shorter and plumper in appearance compared to the almonds typically found in U.S. markets. But you can serve any raw or roasted almonds with manchego or any cheeses.

[1] Ice cream tacos: olé! (photo © Taste Of Home).

[2] Chocolate shavings for “taco’ garnish (photo © Hebert Candies).

How about ice cream tacos for Cinco de Mayo?

You can make them the easy way, with frozen round toaster waffles, or make crunchy pizzelles and fold them into taco-like shells.

But we adapted this recipe from Taste Of Home, which uses actual tortillas. As a neater alternative to tacos, you can form the tortillas into a bowl (drape them over an actual dessert bowl).

Prep time is 20 minutes. With all due respect to Klondike’s Choco Tacos, these taste a lot better!
 
 
RECIPE: ICE CREAM TACOS

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Choice Of Toppings

Select two toppings; you’ll need two tablespoons of each.

 
Plus

1. COMBINE the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle on one side of each tortilla.

2. HEAT the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the tortillas, one at a time, with the cinnamon side up. When the tortilla starts to brown, fold it into a taco shape and drain on paper towels.

3. USING the same skillet, cook and stir the pecans for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted.

4. ASSEMBLE: Line up the taco shells in a baking dish to keep them upright, open-side up. Place two small scoops of ice cream in each tortilla shell; add the toppings, drizzle with sauce and finish with the whipped cream.
 
 
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CURLS OR SHAVINGS

To shave chocolate or make chocolate curls, start with your favorite chocolate bars—solid, without nuts or other inclusions.

1. WARM the chocolate bar in a microwave for 3 seconds. Use a vegetable peeler to scrape down the side (not the front/back) of the bar, forming curls.

2. PLACE the chocolate curls on a wax paper-covered dish or baking pan and refrigerate until firm. It is easiest to move the curls with toothpicks.

This isn’t exactly an authentic Mexican recipe, but it’s close enough for Cino de Mayo. Presented by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (“Beef, it’s what’s for dinner”), it’s a stylish, fresh way to serve guacamole or salsa with tortilla chips. Just add some steak to it!

The total recipe time is 35 to 40 minutes. It’s delicious with beer, savory cocktails and wine.

Find more steak-sational recipes at BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.

RECIPE: GRILLED SALSA STEAK APPETIZER

Ingredients For 24 Pieces

1. PLACE the beef steaks and 1/2 cup of the salsa in food-safe plastic bag; turn steaks to coat. Close the bag securely and marinate in the refrigerator 15 minutes to 2 hours.

2. COMBINE the remaining 1/2 cup salsa and chopped cilantro; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. REMOVE the steaks from the marinade; discard marinade (always discard a marinade when finished; bacteria, which die when the protein is cooked, can remain present in the marinade). Place the steaks on a grill over medium-hot, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 10 to 14 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 12 to 16 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally.

4. CARVE the steaks into thin slices; cut the slices into bite-size pieces.

5. ARRANGE the tortilla chips on a platter. Top each chip evenly with the reserved salsa mixture, a piece of beef and topping of guacamole. Garnish with a cilantro leaf. Serve immediately.

Flat iron steak (also called top blade or patio steak) is cut from the shoulder of the steer (the top blade roast), producing a cut that is flavorful, but a bit tougher because it’s cut with the grain. It thus requires marinating and cooking to no more doneness than medium; but produces a piece of beef with deep, rich flavor.

If it seems like a newer cut, it is. It was developed by teams at the University of Nebraska and the University of Florida, with research funded by the National Cattleman’s Beef Association.

The problem presented to the university researchers was the best way to use a challenging cut of beef from the shoulder of the steer. Though a flavorful and relatively tender cut of meat, the top blade roast has a serious flaw in the middle of it; an impossibly tough piece of connective tissue running through the middle.

To make the flat iron steak, the top blade roast is separated into two pieces by cutting horizontally through the center to remove the heavy connective tissue. The result: the roast was turned into tasty, tender, economical steaks.

See our beef glossary for the different cuts of beef.