Topic: Make your own Vanilla!

[MassMama]

With the price why not??

One cup of Vodka
2 chopped vanilla beans
let sit in an air tight jar for 3 months in a cool dark area and there ya have it your own vanilla..

[Triss]

Well that looks pretty easy.  I wonder where I could pick up vanilla beans though?  Have you tried this one yet?

[duh]

I didn't know that.  That is very interesting.  Thanks for posting that Rita.

[MassMama]

At any health food store .. I bought mine at the regular market I shop at and yeah I have it waiting in the jar it will be ready at christmas 

PS the beans are a lot of money!! I paid 7 bucks for them.

[Triss]

For two beans?  Yikes.  I can see making a bunch of it in nice jars to give as gifts for the holidays.

[MassMama]

Yeah Pricey.. I don't know if you can re-use the beans on this but I do know I can for vanilla syrup 

[duh]

Are all the extracts made that way?  I'm thinking mint in particular.

[MassMama]

  I found this for you Duh!!

Sounds pretty easy to me!! 
To make mint extract, obtain a pound or so of fresh spearmint or peppermint leaves (harvest them at noon time on a sunny day), wash them well and crush/bruise the leaves. Add these to a quart sized canning jar of vodka and place in the sun. Using a piece of well-washed, new cheese cloth, strain (and discard) the leaves from the infusion after three to four weeks.

[duh]

Thankyou for the recipe.  A pound of mint.  That's a huge amount.  I guess I won't be doing it this year.  But maybe next year.

[MassMama]

I agree it is a LOT but if you look that is for a Quart jar of it.. Myself would never use that much so maybe a 1/4 lb in a half pint would be good? 

[duh]

I thought that too.  But then I thought once I packed a pound of mint leaves in a quart jar there wouldn't be much room for the vodka so probably this doesn't actually make much extract.  What do you think?

[Triss]

I think that based on the recipe, you could pack any kind of jar full of mint leaves and then top it off with vodka and let it stew for the time.  I would try it first in a smaller container and see what the end result is.