How do you make vanilla flavoring w/vodka?

[Lady TS]

I found out how like a year ago and bought the stuff, but now I can't find it again(or don't have the energy/time to search).

I have the vanilla bean and the vodka but I need to know how much vodka per bean.

[Mothering by Heart]

It is one bean per pint of Vodka.

[Mother of Sons]

Where do you buy the beans??

[Punkie]

I bought mine at Wild Oats in the spice section.

[Lady TS]

It is one bean per pint of Vodka.

You just drop the bean in, right? Or do you cut it in half?
And how long do you have to let it sit before you use it?
And you let it sit in a warm window?


Sorry, just trying to remember it all so I do it right! ;)

[Punkie]

It is one bean per pint of Vodka.

You just drop the bean in, right? Or do you cut it in half?
And how long do you have to let it sit before you use it?
And you let it sit in a warm window?
Sorry, just trying to remember it all so I do it right! ;)


I've done it where I just drop it in, and also done it where you run a knife along the length of the bean. I usually let it sit a week or two before I use it, and then it just gets better every time. I use a corked bottle and keep adding rum (rather than vodka, but vodka is fine too!) when I use it, so its always full. I let mine sit in a dark cabinet above my oven, but I've had it sit on my countertop before too. I don't think it makes too big of a difference. It seems that most of the articles recommend a dark place though.

Here's some articles. There's a lot of ways to do it. I think it'd be pretty hard to mess up :giggle

http://www.cookingtlc.net/forums/articles.php?action=viewarticle&artid=4
http://www.thefrugalshopper.com/articles/vanilla.shtml

[Lady TS]

Ok, so I have a 375 ml bottle of vodka. That's roughly 1 1/2 cups I think. I'm thinking that I'll just split and drop the bean in and see how it goes and use it in its pretty cobalt-blue bottle. :tu

[ArmsOfLove]

I got my beans at Trader Joe's--MUCH cheapter :tu

And I just dropped mine into the vodka and shook the bottle every day for two weeks. It's really yummy :yum

[Lady TS]

Heh, I just realized there was another thread on vanilla beans and vodka, lol!

[Abinsmom]

So I'm curious -- you would use this mixture the same as you would pure vanilla extract, right? Call me stupid, but....

[ArmsOfLove]

yep

[Abinsmom]

Okay, so I'll just assume you're not 'yep'ing to calling me stupid, but just 'yep'ing to my vanilla extract assumption. Hope I'm right.

[ArmsOfLove]

yep

:giggle Sorry, I had squirmy babies on me before. Yes--use it like normal :)

[Mothering by Heart]

We went to Costco today. Dh and I were giggling because here we were pushing two carts of food, 4 kids all around us and plopped right on top was a huge bottle of Vodka :laughtears

Now to find vanilla beans...

[Abinsmom]

Vodka at Costco? What state do you live in???

Sorry Crystal -- hope I didn't offend you! I should be grateful for a 'yep' from the mommy of twin nurslings! I was just trying to clarify the 'yep'.

[Mothering by Heart]

Vodka at Costco? What state do you live in???



California. They don't have it everywhere? :think

[ArmsOfLove]

We went to Costco today. Dh and I were giggling because here we were pushing two carts of food, 4 kids all around us and plopped right on top was a huge bottle of Vodka :laughtears
Well, I had the babies both in a sling together and I was walking with JUST a big bottle of vodka :shifty They yelled out, "We know who's going to be getting some good sleep tonight" :O I tried to tell them I was making vanilla and they didn't believe me--I dropped it because it would just have looked pathetic after that to argue :giggle

And don't worry about qualifying the yep--ITU :)

[Mothering by Heart]

Well, I had the babies both in a sling together and I was walking with JUST a big bottle of vodka They yelled out, "We know who's going to be getting some good sleep tonight" I tried to tell them I was making vanilla and they didn't believe me--I dropped it because it would just have looked pathetic after that to argue


:laughtears That's even better than mine :laughtears

[Abinsmom]

I live in Washington state and we can only purchase hard liquor at state-owned liquor stores. I used to live in Nevada, and am now remembering that we could buy vodka and such at the grocery store -- that is just so odd!

[ArmsOfLove]

oh my goodness--we actually have drive thru liquor stores :wow Anyone else see the lack of logic in that one? :doh

[Mother of Sons]

Up until a year or so ago we could only buy alcohol in liquor stores but now they've made it legal to sell in grocery stores. I wish they hadn't. I don't think it needs to be easier to get.

When I was pregnant with I had to go buy vodka to make perfume. I was obviously pregnant and it was soooo embarrassing!! I told the guy at the counter that I was making perfume but he just gave me a look that was somewhere in between "whatever" and "who cares?"

Ok, so I'm on the vanilla bandwagon now since I found vanilla beans at the health food store. Last time I tried I couldn't find the beans anywhere except online so here I am pregnant again, buying vodka :rolleyes :O