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This is a summary on the different types of vanilla.  Also, there are
comments on how to make vanilla to where to get gf vanilla.


Differences between types of vanilla

-Vanillin (not vanillan) is an artificial flavoring, made to taste like
vanilla. It is used in many
commercial foodstuffs because it is cheap. It also doesn't have the
richness of flavor that real vanilla does.

-Vanilla bean is the bean (generally sold in the pod) of the vanilla plant,
which is an orchid. It
is used whole or ground as flavoring. It is often used this way in fancy
vanilla ice cream, which is where the little brown specks in such ice cream
come from. It is also used to make vanilla sugar by simply storing a whole
vanilla pod in white sugar. This generally yields a nicely flavored and
scented sugar that may be used in baking.

-Vanilla extract is produced by soaking the vanilla bean in alcohol. This
can be any alcohol--though preferably one without too much flavor of its
own. Commercial vanilla extract is made with a distilled grain alcohol,
generally from corn. Because it is distilled, you should not need to worry
about the source of the alcohol. There are also non-alcoholic vanilla
extracts. I've used vanilla paste, which is a glycerin-based extract, with
success. The flavor is good, and it contains those little vanilla bean
flecks that make vanilla ice cream look good.

-Natural vanilla just means any product made from vanilla beans, as opposed
to vanillin.

Other comments on vanilla

-The only POTENTIAL problem with vanilla or vanilla extract is if it's made
with a wheat based alcohol. Even then I don't think it's a problem because
of distilling. Personally, I have yet to find vanilla or vanilla extract
that isn't GF (this includes Tone's, Kroger, McCormick, Penzy's and others I
don't remember). Vanillan is definitely NOT a problem.

-vanilla is made by taking a vanilla bean, splitting it and adding it to a
liquor, usually bourbon or odka.  Vanillan is alcohol with flavoirng added.
They are used interchangeably.

-I use Frontier vanilla alcohol-free flavoring--  not their extract--  check
for the alcohol-free

-Vanilla is a bean that is grown in a lot of places worldwide, but the
biggest exporters are Mexico, Tahiti, and Bourbon (I think those are islands
off the African coast.)  If you react to vanilla, per se,
probably all types, including vanillin (which is essentially the same
chemical, but produced artificially from wood pulp) would bother you.

I think it's more likely that you reacted to whatever the vanilla was
extracted into.  Most commonly, they sell it will an alcohol base, but you
can also buy vanilla in a glycerine base, or used to flavor sugar
directly, etc.  I think you need to look at the packaging medium to see what
it is there that you might be reacting to.

-Athentic Food sells the real vanilla powder  gf they sell nothing but gf
and it's really great one uses 1/4 tsp

-Get in touch with Authentic Foods.  They have a vanilla bean powder that is
gluten free and very good.  Also, their mixes are good too.  Try the cake
mixes and the Muffin&Pancake mix. www.authenticfoods.com.

-To solve the entire question, just make your own.  I have been doing it for
8 years.  Put 2-3 vanilla beans in a pint mason jar, split them lengthwise
with a sharp knife first and then fill the jar with
potato vodka, which is GF and available in a good wine store or state store,
depending where you live.  After 1-2 weeks you have very, very good
vanilla!!

Tammy

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