Last year I purchased a wholesale quantity of madagascar bourbon vanilla beans….about 1/4 a pound.  Then I got a case of ketchup sized bottles and some screw on lids, a couple quarts of good quality vodka and a gold paint pen.

I sliced 3-4 pods down the middle (keeping the ends intact), placed them in the jar, topped it with the vodka and screwed the lid on.  Then I labeled each jar with a beautiful cursive script Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract.  Finished by tying an airy translucent bronzy ribbon around the neck of the bottle.

All you have to do is shake the bottle every week or so and in about 2 months you have homemade vanilla extract!   Vodka can be added as the extract is used.   Makes a great gift!

hmmmm this is sounding gooooood! 

:J

GeorgiaZ said:

Where do you get these beans?

This last time I got vanilla beans I ordered them from bulkfoods.com!

I just bought the 1 ounce, which was about half a dozen.  I suppose it varies by size of the beans.  What I want to do next is stick an entire bottle of vodka full with vanilla beans and just let that sit and pour it (using a funnel) into my little vanilla bottle whenever I need more.  That way, the big bottle of it just steeps and steeps, and I can have my little bottle for daily baking!

Thats a beautiful bottle and a great gift. I will have to remember about that earlier next year.

I know that this is an older post, but I wanted to reply.  Just a heads up on making the vanilla.  I did it and love it.  However, do not do what I did.  I am not a person that drinks and I do not have a tolerance for alcohol.  I spilled the vodka and went to clean it up without gloves.  Who knew vodka can seep into your pores!  I was feeling a bit tipsy at the end.