Talenti - Madagascar Vanilla Bean

Madagascar Vanilla Bean - Vanilla Gelato with Madagascar Vanilla Beans

 

I am still waiting to find Talenti Gelato's new flavors for 2021 to show up in my local grocery stores.  In the mean time, I will continue to survey their main menu of flavors.  Today is Madagascar Vanilla Bean.  I do not race to try a brand's vanilla flavor, but I do eventually get to them when I am nearing a complete survey of their menu.  I have written about different types of vanilla before, but here is a favorite link of mine as a refresher.  To sum up, although vanilla is originally native to Mexico, the islands of Madagascar and Réunion are now the places most associated with its production.  So, this is just regular (but natural) vanilla.  Let's check it out.

Unscrewing the lid, the vanilla gelato has a good off-white color.  I can see some of the bean specks even on the top.  Digging in, the gelato has a good easy-to-scoop texture and it has a good vanilla flavor.  I continue to see the bean specks throughout the pint but they do not provide any difference in texture as I am eating it.

This is pretty good vanilla.  I am never sure what to say about pints of vanilla.  I have tried simple vanillas from several other brands including Ben & Jerry, McConnell's, Coolhaus, Sweet Science, and side-by-side vanilla/vanilla-bean reviews for Häagen-Dazs and Izzy's.  It is quite good and will satisfy your vanilla cravings, but I am never sure if a simple vanilla is worth it when buying premium ice cream or gelato by the pint.  I often prefer the flavor with a twist, like Coolhaus uses Tahitian Vanilla or Sweet Science has a separate Vanilla Cardamom flavor.