Pure Mexican vanilla extract 250 ml (Papantla, Veracruz)

Vanilla was born in Papantla — genuine pure extract and plump beans from origin cost a fraction of US/India gourmet prices, if you dodge the coumarin fakes.

Price: 220 MXN (Typical shelf price for genuine pure extract at Papantla producers and Mexican gourmet grocers; verify on the day)

Where to buy: Papantla producers (Villa Vainilla, Murralh), Xicotepec, or reputable grocers like City Market/La Comer — not beach-town souvenir shops

Price checked 2026-07-03

• AUTHENTICITY WARNING: much cheap 'Mexican vanilla' sold to tourists (giant MX$60 liter bottles) is synthetic vanillin or tonka-bean extract containing coumarin — a blood-thinning compound banned by the US FDA; if it's huge, cheap and 'clear' or suspiciously dark-and-syrupy, it's fake
• Real pure extract lists vanilla beans + alcohol (~35%), costs real money, and often states 'extracto puro de vainilla' with no coumarin declaration needed
• Whole Papantla beans (MX$25-50/pod for gourmet grade) travel even better than liquid