Homemade Vanilla Extract

The holidays are coming and will be here before we know it!  In preparation for the impending gift-giving season, I created a tutorial for maing homemade vanilla extract!  Despite the fact that this spoils the surprise for those who are going to get vanilla extract from me as a gift this year, I decided I wanted to share it with you!

Where does one go to get the vanilla beans?  The bottles?  Keep reading...

We have a fantastic ice cream shop just down the street - Xanath - well known in the area for having some of the best vanilla ice cream in town as well as other incredible flavors, including saffron, saffron ginger and dry cherry to name a few!  Each time we visit this shop they offer us a single vanilla bean (it's sort of their calling card) - to remind us that they sell restaraunt quality beans and saffron in addition to their yummy yummy ice cream!  I got the vanilla beans for my extract from Xanath, and recommend that's where get your beans too. 

Did you know that vanilla beans come from orchids that are hand pollinated?  The seed pods that develop are hand picked and the curing process takes months.  Knowing this helps me understand why it's the second most expensive spice!

Another interesting fact: the FDA regulates vanilla extract by bean weight, not bean quality, so you never know what you are getting when purchasing mass produced extract.  Making your own vanilla extract ensures that it will be free of the artificial colors and the corn sweeteners found in even high-quality vanilla extracts. 

So... here's my tutorial - just download the link for all the directions.  Keep reading to learn about my resources and inspirations.

Vanilla Extract Tutorial
File Size:	5116 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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Resources:
Click on the links to order these supplies online:
Vanilla Beans
Glass Bottles

The labels I designed were created with ephemera inspirations offered through my friend Karen at www.graphicsfairy.blogspot.com.  She has an amazing collection of old pharmacy labels, clip art and all kinds of neat images that can spruce up any project!

In the San Francisco area?  Be sure to go Xanath and get some ice cream; I highly recommend the saffron ginger shake!  They're in the heart of the Mission district on Valencia St.

Xanath Ice Cream
951 Valencia St.
San Francisco,
CA 94110

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