Comments on: how easy is it to make homemade vanilla?

By: bethany actually » Blog Archive » vanilla-making and giving thanks (and a giveaway!)

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:55:56 +0000

[...] because it was a fun day. Annalie wasn’t interested in making vanilla again (she’s made it before) and Bonnie’s son E preferred to chase the cats and play outside. But the rest of the moms [...]

By: bethany actually » Blog Archive » she’s so glossy

bethany actually » Blog Archive » she’s so glossy — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:13:33 +0000

[...] breakfast and conversation and plying Jill with a few lemons freshly-picked off the tree and some homemade vanilla and a sparkly magnet, we pointed them towards a farmer’s market in Carlsbad, told them to [...]

By: sande

sande — Sat, 16 May 2009 17:22:59 +0000

where did you get the bottles that you used. My daughter wants to try doing this but we can’t find bottles.

By: mike

mike — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:12:04 +0000

Tell the truth. Vanilla is just a convenient excuse to break out the vodka at 2pm (I checked your flickr photo stats!).

My father used to have a Coq au Vin recipe that called for two bottles of wine (one for the pot, one for the cook). I should hope that when you pass this recipe down, it’ll call for at least two bottles of vodka.

By: Mrs. Wilson

Mrs. Wilson — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:41:59 +0000

I really have to try that vanilla thing one of these days. It looks like so much fun!

By: karen

karen — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:20:12 +0000

A few years ago, my company had a staff party at a local cooking school. The group gathered to make dinner together, which was fun, then sat to eat our efforts. During dessert, the cooking instructors had a cooking trivia contest with bottles of wine as prizes. I won a prize for knowing that the flower which produces a vanilla bean lives only one day and, if pollinated on that day, produces one one vanilla bean per year. When the host asked if I’d like a bottle of red or a bottle of white wine as my prize, I jokingly said I’d rather have the industrial-size bottle of Nielsen-Massey vanilla she was holding and she gave it to me! Some of my coworkers were a little shocked that anyone could use that much vanilla but I can’t get through a day without putting vanilla in something. I love that you and Annalie make your own – someday, I might try it here!

By: Mr. Actually

Mr. Actually — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:42:24 +0000

If I had been down there helping you, I would have insisted on cleaning up the overflows for you. Of course you probably would have rolled your eyes as I lapped up the mess. Oh, and there would have been more accidental overflows…

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:21:18 +0000

I really think I’m going to have to try this! …especially since I bake so much! I have a bunch of vanilla beans that I bought at Costco, but I can’t remember what type they are.

By: bethany actually

bethany actually — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:12:31 +0000

Clover - I've purchased my vanilla beans from the eBay seller organic-vanilla and have been very happy with their service and product. beachmama - I think it would keep that long. My commercial vanilla lasts a long time, and it's basically the same ingredients. Don't quote me on that, though. I'm not a vanilla expert, I only play one online. bluejaye - I actually HAVE tasted several of the bottles I made. I've used the vanilla I gave to Brenda to make frosting, and I've used the vanilla I gave to Sue and my friend D to flavor my coffee! But I definitely plan on keeping one this time---that big bottle's for me!

By: bluejayecrafts

bluejayecrafts — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:07:37 +0000

You need to make sure you keep a bottle for yourself this time. All that “hard” and you haven’t tasted it yet. Looking forward to the results of your taste test.