Flavor Extracts. Do You Use Them? Opinions?

Remy

Remy

Well-known Member
Location
California, USA
I know many have used pure vanilla extract. But I was wondering about some others. I wanted to try banana extract because bananas don't agree with my stomach anymore. I'm sure the extract would be fine but I'm thinking totally artificial taste? Not sure. I'd put it in smoothies.

Have you tried any and did you like them? Or not?
 

Banana extract is not fine. It tastes very artificial.

Nut extracts taste nice. I use them quite a bit. Mint/peppermint extract tastes exactly as you expect, so they're good if you like minty-ness.
 

Amaretto--Cookies & Puerto Rican flan
Almond----Cookies & Puerto Rican flan
Pure Vanilla not imitation for cakes, cookies, cheese cake

Haven't tried banana but sounds like a flavor good for a change in a sugar cookie.
 
I haven't tried banana extract--I don't like bananas--but I've gotten really hooked on M&B's (Morton & Bassett) Pure Almond Extract; I just love it, use it on a lot of things, make a tea with it, etc. They carry it at one of the large grocery chains here.

The other isn't really an extract; it's Rose Petals Rosewater by Heritage Store; they carry it at a couple of natural food stores here. And both can be ordered online too.

You wouldn't believe how both of them (especially the almond extract) make stuff taste sweeter without adding a bit of sugar.
 
One issue with banana may be that we no longer know what a banana tastes like.

The most common commercial banana for a long time was the Gros Michel, but a disease removed them from production and export in the early 1950s. The Cavendish became its replacement though it too faces the threat of disease today. They don't taste quite the same and the newer type is a lot more bland.

I suspect the artificial extract was modeled after the older banana, which could contribute to its rejection today.
 
dilettante said:
One issue with banana may be that we no longer know what a banana tastes like.

The most common commercial banana for a long time was the Gros Michel, but a disease removed them from production and export in the early 1950s. The Cavendish became its replacement though it too faces the threat of disease today. They don't taste quite the same and the newer type is a lot more bland.

I suspect the artificial extract was modeled after the older banana, which could contribute to its rejection today.
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That’s some serious banana 🍌 talk. 🤔lol
 
dilettante said:
One issue with banana may be that we no longer know what a banana tastes like.

The most common commercial banana for a long time was the Gros Michel, but a disease removed them from production and export in the early 1950s. The Cavendish became its replacement though it too faces the threat of disease today. They don't taste quite the same and the newer type is a lot more bland.

I suspect the artificial extract was modeled after the older banana, which could contribute to its rejection today.
Click to expand...
I read this about the older banana taste being more like the extract. Whatever that flavor was. But it's terrible what many fruits taste like anymore.
 
DebraMae said:
Some not mentioned are maple, lemon and orange. I use them in deserts and if out of maple syrup I can make a little with the maple extract and a simple syrup. I don't imagine the banana would be too good. Most artificially flavored banana things I have tried I have not cared for.
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That's my worry, artificial. So I'm not sure if I will even give it a try. I can put a whole small orange or 1/2 large orange in my smoothies, but I can't tolerate the real bananas. I have some plant based protein 'super foods' powder also.
 
Knight said:
Haven't tried banana but sounds like a flavor good for a change in a sugar cookie.
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Honestly, no. Not in a sugar cookie. I've tried it. Seemed like the sugar made the banana flavor even more artificial. Or maybe I used too much. Maybe I should've used a half-teaspoon, or even 1/4 teaspoon. It just didn't work.

My mom used to make these fan-shaped almost wafer-thin cookies she called petit fours. They're similar to sugar cookies. I'm pretty sure banana flavoring would work with those, and there are recipes online for *petit four cookies*....I checked.

I bet banana flavoring would be good in oatmeal cookies. And maybe oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies....maybe.

I could be wrong, but it's probably a flavoring and not an extract, and that's why it tastes off.
 


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