I have over 20 clients at Ann’s Place for my next class on making vanilla extract. Like maple syrup, once you try the real thing you cannot go back.
To make vanilla extract you need two things: alcohol and vanilla beans.
The alcohol part is easy and I always choose vodka for a couple of reasons: it is tasteless letting the true flavor of vanilla through and it is inexpensive compared with other alcohols.
I have found a good supplier of vanilla beans who gives me a great price on bulk purchases for my classes. And with custom labels I have created for the bottles my clients will use, I pretty much have everything I need.
The only thing I have not been able to find are dark bottles at a price that falls within my budget: if it is exposed to light, the vanilla can age prematurely. For this reason, I advise my clients to keep their bottles in a dark cabinet.
I put the vanilla beans in small snack bags along with a piece of jute twine. Its smell envelops my hands, as I place each bean in the bag. Separately, two labels and instructions are clipped together and I decant close to 8 ounces of vodka into jars. I don’t think I could have used Charlotte to help me here.
