The story of Blue Cattle Truck Trading Company’s Mexican vanilla is the story of a family tradition and the woman who helped bring it to the world. Before co-founding Blue Cattle Truck Trading Company, Molly Anderson was the highest ranking woman in the U.S. steel industry. As part of her duties as transportation director at her steel plant, she frequently traveled to Mexico to purchase rail cars. Any time she would venture south of the border, friends would ask her to bring back Mexican vanilla. With a personal desire to always seek quality products, Molly did not simply grab the most convenient bottle to appease them. She researched and sampled the abundant varieties. Soon she found herself on a quest for the perfect vanilla. Canosa Farm On one particular trip deep into the Veracruz region of Mexico, Molly fortuitously met the Canosa family. The Canosa’s had fled war-torn Spain in 1917, shortly after World War I, and settled in Mexico. Grandfather Jose Canosa soon established a vanilla plantation, and the family had been producing award-winning vanilla in Veracruz ever since. As with good coffee or fine wine, the perfect vanilla requires a unique environment to flourish. Veracruz, Mexico provides that perfect environment. And the Canosa family’s methods of production have continually crafted a superior vanilla by producing it in small batches and allowing the perfect amount of time to distill. In meeting the Canosa family, Molly knew her search for the perfect vanilla was complete. For years Molly imported small quantities of vanilla for family and friends. Addictions for the secret vanilla became overwhelming and soon she realized it was time to share the Canosa crafted vanilla with the world. In 1999 she joined forces with her childhood friend, Sherry Dixon, and together they established the Blue Cattle Truck Trading Company. Blue Cattle Truck When they were teenagers, Molly’s parents gave her an option – she and Sherry could walk to school or drive the old blue cattle truck. The old truck was quite a sight, fashioned with a Ford front, a Chevy rear, and wooden sides rails. To most teenagers that truck could have been a death sentence to one’s high school social status, but Molly & Sherry embraced it as their signature. That trademark of their friendship continues to this day through the brand which they have created. Today Molly runs the company with her daughter Amy. Blue Cattle Truck continues to be the exclusive distributor of the Canosa family private reserve of traditional Mexican vanilla extract. Made with the Richest Vanilla Beans on Earth Single Sourced, using Grade-A Mexican vanilla beans Diploma of Honor, Gold Medal First Prize, Mexico Imported from Mexico – Bottled in the United States Featured on The Martha Stewart Show “Top Pick” as selected by Traditional Home Magazine Gluten Free All Natural / No Preservatives Coumarin Free FDA Registered We have both a Traditional and Pure line of Mexican Vanilla. The basic difference is the alcohol content: Traditional contains 10% alcohol Pure contains 35% alcohol Our Traditional line is the best of what you can find in Mexico. It is perfect for all your daily uses, such as cookies, brownies, french toast, waffles, oatmeal, ice cream, coffee – you get the idea! The Pure is just as intense and flavorful, with a 35% alcohol content, which meets the standards of the FDA’s distinction for “Pure” vanilla. Shelf life for either version is the same... indefinite. As long as you store it out of the sun, away from the heat, and not in your fridge. Enjoy!