Vanilla is perhaps the flavoring most used in desserts. For that reason it is essential to purchase the best quality vanilla you can afford. This recommendation is the result of a hard-learned lesson. One time a lesser quality vanilla virtually ruined what otherwise would have been a delicious dessert. Some time after this incident,one of my children provided me with a wonderfully amusing moment Secretly,this one (his girl friend an enthusiastic cohort) had exchanged the bad vanilla (even though its packaging listed it as "pure," not "artificial") with an excellent quality Madagascar vanilla. What a fun surprise was mine when I next went to the cupboard looking for vanilla, I have learned my lesson... "and a [not so] little child shall lead them."