The Trader Joe's Paste That Instantly Upgrades Any Iced Latte

The cycle of food innovation at Trader Joe's never seems to end. New products trickle onto shelves now and again, and shoppers' keen eyes are quick to notice additions to the regular inventory. In fact, plenty of Trader Joe's products have developed cult-like followings for their dependable deliciousness, and one more might deserve this status among coffee drinkers. The Bourbon vanilla bean paste has the potential to instantly upgrade any iced latte.

Iced lattes are all the more refreshing with just a little flavoring. Caramel, lavender, and hazelnut are all delicious options, but the classic flavor to add to an iced latte is vanilla. Vanilla's warm and floral notes complement the bitter bite of espresso as if the two were meant to be. But the type of vanilla you use matters. Trader Joe's Bourbon vanilla bean paste trumps alternatives like imitation vanilla extract and pure vanilla extract (which differ because only the latter derives from real vanilla beans). According to Trader Joe's product page, the Bourbon vanilla bean paste is richer and thicker than other vanilla extracts, meaning more bang for your buck and flavor in your coffee.

Trader Joe's Bourbon vanilla bean paste contains three key ingredients: vanilla bean seeds, Bourbon vanilla extract, and sugar syrup. Vanilla beans are the purest form of vanilla. These long, black stalks are known for their deep, complex flavor and more expensive price tag. Bourbon vanilla is a sought-after variety grown on islands in the Indian Ocean. The extract is a byproduct of soaking the vanilla beans in alcohol and water, but Bourbon, in this case, has nothing to do with bourbon whiskey. It refers to the Bourbon dynasty, the kings of France from 1589 to 1789 and from 1815 to 1848, which ruled over the islands where the vanilla is grown. 

The combination of vanilla bean seed with Bourbon vanilla extract doubles down on the intense vanilla flavor of Trader Joe's paste. Additionally, the sugar syrup makes it an all-in-one source of aroma and sweetness for your coffee. One teaspoon of paste contains 3 grams of sugar, which is a good ratio for one cup. Beyond the tantalizing flavor, using a syrup-like paste also solves one of the common ways you're messing up your iced coffee: not fully dissolving the sugar. Sugar syrup blends more easily into cold liquids since, unlike granulated sugar, it's already dissolved. So, a spoonful of TJ's Bourbon vanilla bean paste will easily mix into your chilled coffee. As you're stirring, you may notice one last quality of the vanilla paste; the little vanilla bean specks swirling around your drink are a visual indication of the delicious taste to come.