...that's what Jeff calls it. But I call it being industrious. I come from pioneer stock. It's instilled in me to be a hard worker (definitely), thrifty (yeah right), and coming up with cheaper ways of doing things (stop laughing, Jeff) . OK, maybe I only truly inherited the hard work ethic and ability to look very unattractive in photographs from my ancestors. The thrifty and "make it for much cheaper" genes must have mutated by the time they reached me. But I'm turning over a new leaf. I'm trying on a new mantra. I'm stretching myself into a "make it yourself" mold. And I'm starting by making my own
- First you use the best quality vanilla beans. Mine came from Mexico (pronounced "May-he-co" for added effect) These plump, fragrant, long beauties were smuggled (OK, they were actually shipped FedEx) across the border and delivered to an undisclosed person who happens to be in my ward and just happens to be Britt's former Sunbeam teacher. Should I be worried that they were measured out in kilos?
- Next comes the liquid. Can't use water or milk. Can't use Kool-Aid or Gatorade. Can't use the traditional Mormon fruit juice with Sprite. Nope. You gotta use, come even closer, vodka, gin, rum or brandy. There, I said it. Now you see where the bootleggin' tag comes in, huh? I'm choosing to use vodka because I'm told that it doesn't have a taste, just a kick. I wouldn't know. My supplier, who happens to live kitty-corner from me and has ancestral Russian ties, even does home delivery.
- Split beans, slip into vodka, shake occasionally and wait. The homemade vanilla extract can be used after 4 weeks, but the "priceless stuff" takes time...6 months to be exact. Like a fine wine, the extract will continue to improve with age and can last forever if properly stored. That gives me time to use up my cheap, not-so-tasty, Kroger brand imitation vanilla flavoring. I also learned how to make vanilla sugar. Great for baking.
Jeff says he will mark the Smirnoff bottle everyday with a marker to see if the liquid level changes. On exceptionally rough kids-are-driving-me-crazy-I-want-to-make-it-all-go-away days, a swig of 100 proof Russian triple distilled vodka may be all I need. Or maybe I bake up a batch of sugar cookies, heavily flavored with my personal stash.
7 comments:
Wow I have never heard of anybody making their own vanilla extract. Have you done it before have you used it before? I'm interested in hearing how it turns out.
No, I've never tried it before. This is my first experience "experimenting with alcohol";D. It's really easy... vodka and vanilla beans and some patience. It's supposed to be premium vanilla in the end.
Let me know how that turns out...a little vodka, I mean VANILLA, is what I love in my Diet Dr. Pepper.
GREAT WRITTING, I laughing so hard Ryanne is shhhing me because I'm too loud for her to hear her movie. By the way, can I come to your house when I'm having that kind of day? Maybe instead I should ask in advance that you be my sponser. I'll be yours if you'll be mine!
I should tell my sister & brother-in-law about this...They bought some liters of the "real vanilla" on their cruise to Mexico last month, and not thinking, they put it in their carry-on to avoid any possible breakage/spillage in their checked luggage...and, you guessed it - TSA took it because it was a "liquid" over 3 ozs!
At least you had a "home delivery" of the alcohol as to eliminate the chances of anyone seeing you with it - although, you just "spilled the beans" to the whole blogging world - a guy in our ward resorted to buying beer for the snail problem in his garden and he's been spotted at the grocery store red-handed! :)
So just after I left the comment yesterday I was looking at another blog and they had a thing about making your own vanilla too. I guess it can last a very long time, you just have to top it off with some more vodka. It's just strange that I had never heard that you could make your own to seeing to blogs about it in one day.
You make me laugh so hard! I must say, I am very impressed my friend!!
Post a Comment