This N' That Thursday

My oldest niece K, is a pastry chef.  My sister and my niece J, both are avid bakers.  So as I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Dinosaurs can't eat pizza.  Anyway, I love this blog, because Robyn and Nance ARE HILARIOUS!!!!  Robyn also has my very favorite blog, Love & Hisses.  Anyway, she had a link to a website with a recipe to make your own vanilla! Yum!!

So I decided, what better Christmas gift for bakers and Pastry Chefs!

So I bought 4 - 750 ml bottles of Vodka - I used Evanabitch cause it is my favorite vodka.
and a half pound of Madagascar Vanilla Beans,
and 4- 1 liter bottles to put the vanilla in.
I had some dark rum already.

So, I washed the liter bottles.  The recipe linked above says to use 12 vanilla beans.  At another website I visited, they recommended 5 beans for every 8 ounces of vodka.  So I cut 15 vanilla beans length-wise, leaving an inch at the top of the bean where the two sides are connected.  I put them in the liter bottle, and poured the 750 ml bottle of vodka over them.  I then added a few ounces of rum to the mixture.  I sealed the bottles and put them in my linen closet.  I shake them everyday.  The recipe listed above says to let the bottles sit for 2 months, but when I was buying my bottles at The Container Store, we were talking, and a lady said she made some.  She said it was sooooo good, but it doesn't really get fantastic till 6 months.

According to the link above, when you use some, you can put more vodka in to replace it.

Doesn't it look yummy?  It has only been two weeks.

I have to be honest and admit that I did smell it.  It smells heavenly!!

I will let ya'll know how it goes over.