Vanilla is a necessity in any baked good. Any rich chocolate dessert that is delicious beyond belief has vanilla in it. Describing vanilla is like attempting to describe a color. It's strongly aromatic and it's warm, floral flavor gently and distinctly compliments many other spices and foods.
Most vanilla is grown in Madagascar, the world's fourth largest island, which, in the past 20 years, has experienced 35 cyclones, 8 floods and 5 periods of severe drought.
Vanilla is an orchid. There are hundreds of types of orchids, but only one, the vanilla planifolia, produces vanilla beans. They are finicky and very hard to keep alive. I keep thinking back to all those times, in my younger years, that I bought an orchid and brought it home and tried to keep it alive. I failed every single time. I couldn't even imagine trying to grow one outdoors!
Vanilla orchids have a short flowering season and each one has to be hand pollinated by someone who knows what they are doing. Hand pollination is a difficult process. Once harvested, the job is not over, either. From growth to export, the entire process takes about a year.
For a while, consumers were content with synthetic vanilla flavoring, which can be bought for super cheap. Today, it's trending that we only use the real stuff, so that drove up the cost of vanilla beans. They are roughly $300 per pound. This is the most labor-intensive spice to grow and it is the second most expensive spice in the world. It costs us, the American consumer, roughly $20 for 4 ounces of real extract.
So, when I was able to find some Tahitian grade B vanilla beans, 10 for less than $15, I was all over that deal! I decided to make my own extract. I started into this with a pint of Jack Daniels and a couple of vanilla beans that I wound up buying from Penzey's Spices (on a side note, here in a few weeks, stay tuned for a great opportunity, that is not sponsored, that the RV Park Homestead will be hosting. A clue is Penzey's Spices!). I was hooked. That was THE BEST extract ever! There is something about chocolate and that sour mash that is just magical to the taste buds! I wound up using that bottle up and buying another bottle and putting all the old beans into it along with 10 more! Then, a few years ago, I bought a fifth of locally made craft vodka. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it because neither of us drinks anymore, so it sat in the cabinet until I decided that I would turn it into vanilla extract. I stuck 10 vanilla beans in there and forgot about it for about 8 months. The result is a golden bottle of vanilla loveliness! So, I bought 20 more vanilla beans and some different types of booze and I'm making vanilla!
I believe in using alcohol that you would drink. I think it's the same concept as cooking with wine. If it's gross from the get-go, it's not going to be a top quality product at the end. The taste of that craft vodka puts it in the same league as Grey Goose, as far as I'm concerned. It's a shame that they went out of business.
I just started the rum and the Wild Turkey today as my 20 vanilla beans just came in. Rum extract is tasty. I like to use it in tropical flavored desserts like pineapple upside down cake or a from-scratch coconut cream pie. Vanilla rum extract is simply going to put rum extract into a league of its own. Same with all the others. Suffice it to say that I have a tidy little sum invested into my extracts and we'll enjoy them for many years to come.
The Exalt vodka used to be a clear liquor, just as the rum is right now. I've had the beans soaking in the vodka for over 8 months now. The Jack Daniels has been soaking even longer than that!
Can you tell which has been my favorite so far?
In a few months, this rum will be the same color as the vodka is...and just as flavorful.
If you want to learn more about how vanilla is grown, here's an excellent video. Click here.
So, thank you for having this vanilla chat with me. I've really enjoyed it. I'll leave you all with some furry kid photos.
Peace!
