Nielsen-Massey Vanillas International, LLC. is proud to announce that it is now certified to produce Organic Pure Vanilla at the Leeuwarden, Netherlands production facility. Since 1995, the Madagascar Bour-bon, Indonesian, Mexican and Tahitian Pure Vanilla Extracts for industrial sale have been produced in Europe, while the Organic Vanilla had been made in the US and shipped to Leeuwarden for European distribution. However, the demand for the Organic Vanilla has grown to a level that now requires

production abroad. At this time, only Organic Vanilla for industrial sale will be produced in Leeuwarden and for retail sale will continue to be made in the US. Eventually, the retail and industrial will be made in Leeuwarden. The certifying agency is Skal of the Netherlands. "We have had such a positive response to the Organic Vanilla from our European customers that it was a natural next step for us," says Craig Nielsen, Vice President. "Now that the Organic Vanilla will be EU produced, it will be an advantage from both economic and logistic standpoints for our customers."

The Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract provides the creamy, sweet, smooth and mellow flavor of the regular Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla, but is made with all organic ingredients. It is made under the same stringent quality and purity standards as the company's other Pure Vanilla Extracts, using the unique cold extraction process. The facility in Leeuwarden features an exact duplication of the custom designed stainless steel manufacturing equipment that is used at the Waukegan, Illinois, facility.

Do you have a favorite jam or jelly flavor? Whether it is strawberry, grape or orange marmalade, vanilla can be added for a tasty twist to a traditional recipe.

Vanilla extract highlights the fruit flavors' depth and richness in applications such as jams or jellies. We recommend using a Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract for its flavor enhancing ability. It gives a creamy, sweet full flavor with velvet aftertones that is considered the premium vanilla. For some applications, a vanilla blend works best. A Madagascar Bourbon-Tahitian blend can be used for both the

flavor enhancing ability of the Madagascar Bourbon and the Tahitian's sweet, fruity notes act as a great potentiator for fruit-based products, and works particularly well with a cherry application.

Due to today's popularity of vanilla in foods, everything from confections and marinades to beverages include vanilla. "Not only can using vanilla enhance the flavor of your preserves, but it can also be a label advantage," says Craig Nielsen, Vice President of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas. You could have Strawberry Vanilla Jelly or Vanilla Raspberry Jam to possibly attract a consumer who may be looking for that key word, vanilla.

As an alternative to the jams or jellies applications, add vanilla to your favorite chutney recipe - often a delicious compliment to a pork roast or beef tenderloin. Vanilla can be added as a flavor enhancer for chutneys that

include fruits such as mangos, apricots and many other chutney flavors popular today.

So next time you add a spoonful of jelly to your favorite muffin or piece of toast, think of how it would taste with a touch of vanilla. Just remember, use your imagination, the sky's the limit with vanilla!

Behind the Bean

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Jelly Weistra-Woldendorp, the Office Manager for Nielsen-Massey Vanillas International in Leeuwarden, on the arrival of her son, Dirk Weistra, who was born on March 16, 1999.

Jelly has been with us for the last few years, stationed in Leeuwarden, the capitol of Friesland, a northern province of the Netherlands. From her office there, she ensures that the proper paperwork is done for the transportation of vanilla products throughout Europe. She also acts as intermediary between the U.S. headquarters office and Leeuwarden, while managing administrative duties such as phone calls, faxes, and general correspondence.

Her ability to speak four languages makes Jelly the perfect person for the job.

In addition to Dutch, Jelly (pronounced "yellie") speaks English, German, French, and even a little Fries, which is the language of Friesland. Congratulations on the newest addition to the Nielsen-Massey family!

Food historian, journalist, world traveler, restaurateur, raconteur, chef to presidents and heads of state . . . and loyal customer of Nielsen-Massey, that's a thumbnail description of Sam Arnold, owner of The Fort Restaurant in scenic Morrison, Colorado. The restaurant itself is a replica of Bent's Fort, an 1830's Colorado fur trading and freighting center, and reflects Chef Arnold's interest in the old West.

A renowned historian of foods of the Southwest and early West, Arnold is the author of Eating Up The Santa Fe Trail, Fryingpans West, and was author/ spokesperson for Coors' Taste Of The West cookbook for eight years.

Arnold brings to his work a passion for food and the finest ingredients. As a guest on the McNeil-Lehrer

Hour television show, Arnold commented on the restrictive OSHA regulation regarding the use of vanilla, capturing the attention of Craig Nielsen and forging a relationship that has profited both the chef and Nielsen-Massey.

One of the classic recipes served in Arnold's Fort Restaurant is a cheesecake, the invention of Arnold's longtime friend Bobbie Chaim. The confection "is about five inches tall, and is the creamiest, lightest, moistest most delicious slice of heaven ever," says Arnold. Critical to the formulation is the addition of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and vanilla sugar made with Nielsen-Massey Whole Vanilla Beans. To make vanilla sugar simply place several vanilla beans in a tall jar.

Issue 31999