Imitation vanilla owes its flavor primarily to synthetic vanillin, while vanilla beans boast more than 200 other volatile compounds, leading to a “full, complex, subtle flavor,” McGee writes.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My neighbor needed vanilla extract for a recipe and asked if I had any. I gave her a new bottle of extract, saying, “Replace it when you can.” ...

Pure vanilla extract is made from real vanilla beans, whereas imitation vanilla uses synthetic flavors, often resulting in a less complex, often not-so-good taste.

Ty and Cate Wears make extract, vanilla bean paste and decadent sugars, perfect for locally inspired holiday baking.

Vanilla extract has an extraordinarily long shelf-life, but does it ever really expire? It depends on whether it's pure or imitation vanilla extract.