Am I going to kill anyone by making homemade vanilla extract as Christmas gifts? (Tito’s and Vanilla Bean Pod)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I am an experienced and accomplished home cook and baker and I am usually pretty leery of these kinds of homemade gifts. First of all, for my own baking I invest in high quality vanilla and wouldn't reach for a jar of this kind of homemade vanilla extract. Most home gift baked goods are from occasional bakers who like the idea of something homemade but life experience has taught me 1) it's rarely worth the calories, 2) rarely as good as something I can make myself, 3) like many excellent bakers I am also a moderate eater so I don't need other people's offerings cluttering up my cupboard. There are some exceptions from tried and true friend bakers.

Anyway, I concur with a previous poster that odds are such a novelty gift would most likely sit unused for long times before being tossed out. If you must make something homemade, make something that can he eaten with a few days, especially if there are children and husbands around.

Proceed carefully.

I am curious - how do you think that your "high quality vanilla" is superior to decent vanilla beans marinated in bourbon or vodka? What kind of vanilla do you use?

[Anonymous]

You definitely will not kill anyone. The Garlic/oil/botulism thing is related to the low acid level of oil, which creates a nice environment that botulism can grow in. It's an aspect of that product, not all homemade products. Alcohol inhibits bacterial growth so you're fine -- that goes for all sorts of alcoholic infusions, too. Biology labs routinely use essentially vodka (it isn't, but not far off) to spray down their counters.

My feeling is that people who look down on homemade gifts are from wealthy backgrounds. Homemade jams, tinctures, etc -- these are all common gifts in my community. I *much* prefer the consumables to anything crafty. And, I much prefer the things that I can store to things I need to eat expediently, like cookies.

This year I'm giving out little far harvest baskets as gifts to friends and family. Jam, dehydrated herbal salt, dehydrated fruits, etc. Vanilla would be a nice addition.

AFAIK no one has died yet.

[Anonymous]

Toss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You definitely will not kill anyone. The Garlic/oil/botulism thing is related to the low acid level of oil, which creates a nice environment that botulism can grow in. It's an aspect of that product, not all homemade products. Alcohol inhibits bacterial growth so you're fine -- that goes for all sorts of alcoholic infusions, too. Biology labs routinely use essentially vodka (it isn't, but not far off) to spray down their counters.

My feeling is that people who look down on homemade gifts are from wealthy backgrounds. Homemade jams, tinctures, etc -- these are all common gifts in my community. I *much* prefer the consumables to anything crafty. And, I much prefer the things that I can store to things I need to eat expediently, like cookies.

This year I'm giving out little far harvest baskets as gifts to friends and family. Jam, dehydrated herbal salt, dehydrated fruits, etc. Vanilla would be a nice addition.

AFAIK no one has died yet.

It has nothing to do with wealth. There are lots of poseurs here. My grandparents were seriously rich, and each year my grandmother had a standing order of jams, pickles and preserves that would be made by her housekeeper’s mother in her own humble kitchen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From Wikipedia, on what Bourbon vanilla is and is not:

Bourbon vanilla or Bourbon-Madagascar vanilla, produced from V. planifolia plants introduced from the Americas, is from Indian Ocean islands such as Madagascar, the Comoros, Mauritius and Réunion, formerly named the Île Bourbon. It is also used to describe the distinctive vanilla flavor derived from V. planifolia grown successfully in tropical countries such as India. However, there is no Bourbon whiskey in Bourbon vanilla extract, despite common confusion about this.

I'm the one who suggested using bourbon, for the flavor, not the name. But cool story.

I love Bourbon, but adding another flavor to your Crafty Mom kitchen project increases the odds that it will never get used.

Really? We make this for our own use, with a decent bourbon. It's the only vanilla we have in the house. It would never occur to me that someone would not want to use it.

Even after reading all these posts from people saying they wouldn't?

Any present is a gamble; there's always a chance that the thing you chose so carefully for a particular person will go unused, and those odds increase when you try to find One Gift Everyone Will Love. Add that your OGEWL is edible, and the odds decrease further. Homemade? Down further. Homemade and a little nonstandard?

[Anonymous]

I am an alcoholic and serious baker and think this is a fine gift. I can always find something to use it in, and it is one alcohol-containing gift that I could enjoy too!

There are plenty of things that use vanilla that doesn’t need to be my best stuff. Yes, I have recipes I want to use quality vanilla beans directly, but making kid cupcakes or pancakes or whatever, this would be just fine. Anyone pretending they are above vanilla extract I don’t believe really cooks that much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I am an experienced and accomplished home cook and baker and I am usually pretty leery of these kinds of homemade gifts. First of all, for my own baking I invest in high quality vanilla and wouldn't reach for a jar of this kind of homemade vanilla extract. Most home gift baked goods are from occasional bakers who like the idea of something homemade but life experience has taught me 1) it's rarely worth the calories, 2) rarely as good as something I can make myself, 3) like many excellent bakers I am also a moderate eater so I don't need other people's offerings cluttering up my cupboard. There are some exceptions from tried and true friend bakers.

Anyway, I concur with a previous poster that odds are such a novelty gift would most likely sit unused for long times before being tossed out. If you must make something homemade, make something that can he eaten with a few days, especially if there are children and husbands around.

Proceed carefully.

So, basically, you're a tw@. Good to know. Thanks!

Why are you so angry that you resort to calling people names?

Why do you assume someone's angry when they point out fact?

Calling someone a twa@ is not pointing out a "fact." It is a sign of emotional instability and immaturity.

DP - Acting like a sanctimonious, know-it-all on an anon board isn't exactly peak maturity, my guy. Go relax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From Wikipedia, on what Bourbon vanilla is and is not:

Bourbon vanilla or Bourbon-Madagascar vanilla, produced from V. planifolia plants introduced from the Americas, is from Indian Ocean islands such as Madagascar, the Comoros, Mauritius and Réunion, formerly named the Île Bourbon. It is also used to describe the distinctive vanilla flavor derived from V. planifolia grown successfully in tropical countries such as India. However, there is no Bourbon whiskey in Bourbon vanilla extract, despite common confusion about this.

I'm the one who suggested using bourbon, for the flavor, not the name. But cool story.

I love Bourbon, but adding another flavor to your Crafty Mom kitchen project increases the odds that it will never get used.

Cool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From Wikipedia, on what Bourbon vanilla is and is not:

Bourbon vanilla or Bourbon-Madagascar vanilla, produced from V. planifolia plants introduced from the Americas, is from Indian Ocean islands such as Madagascar, the Comoros, Mauritius and Réunion, formerly named the Île Bourbon. It is also used to describe the distinctive vanilla flavor derived from V. planifolia grown successfully in tropical countries such as India. However, there is no Bourbon whiskey in Bourbon vanilla extract, despite common confusion about this.

I'm the one who suggested using bourbon, for the flavor, not the name. But cool story.

I love Bourbon, but adding another flavor to your Crafty Mom kitchen project increases the odds that it will never get used.

Really? We make this for our own use, with a decent bourbon. It's the only vanilla we have in the house. It would never occur to me that someone would not want to use it.

Kinda starting to seem like the resident DCUM Debbie Downer is sockpuppeting on this thread...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You definitely will not kill anyone. The Garlic/oil/botulism thing is related to the low acid level of oil, which creates a nice environment that botulism can grow in. It's an aspect of that product, not all homemade products. Alcohol inhibits bacterial growth so you're fine -- that goes for all sorts of alcoholic infusions, too. Biology labs routinely use essentially vodka (it isn't, but not far off) to spray down their counters.

My feeling is that people who look down on homemade gifts are from wealthy backgrounds. Homemade jams, tinctures, etc -- these are all common gifts in my community. I *much* prefer the consumables to anything crafty. And, I much prefer the things that I can store to things I need to eat expediently, like cookies.

This year I'm giving out little far harvest baskets as gifts to friends and family. Jam, dehydrated herbal salt, dehydrated fruits, etc. Vanilla would be a nice addition.

AFAIK no one has died yet.

"I don't want homemade gifts from my peers. I only want goods factory produced by the poors!"

-rich people, apparently

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why waste Titos? Use something cheaper.

Titos is basically what is mixed with automotive fuel. 10%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an alcoholic and serious baker and think this is a fine gift. I can always find something to use it in, and it is one alcohol-containing gift that I could enjoy too!

There are plenty of things that use vanilla that doesn’t need to be my best stuff. Yes, I have recipes I want to use quality vanilla beans directly, but making kid cupcakes or pancakes or whatever, this would be just fine. Anyone pretending they are above vanilla extract I don’t believe really cooks that much.

This. Seriously, it's bourbon. Put it in your coffee and enjoy your day! Damn...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No worries. Keep alcohol content ABV around 25% to be sure. Could go higher if you want, but not needed.

And for the love of God use something better quality than Titos vodka! LMAO! They buy that stuff by the semi truck load from major distillers in the midwest who distill grain alcohol for automobiles and the industrial chemical industries. Then they ship it to TX to run through a copper pot still to legally call it pot-distilled.

It's like a fancy restaurant buying meat from McDonalds, adding some seasoning and paying a chef $100/hr to cook it, and using that for their $70 burgers.

Tito's is 40% alcohol and distilled six times. It's mostly just alcohol and water at that point. And no, nothing is going to grow in that.

LMAO no. Fractional doesn't count. Made in midwest, shipped to TX to be distilled again once.

[Anonymous]

Something many here probably don't know either, is that there is Vanilla bean "vanilla", and also vanillin which is called "vanilla" or "vanilla flavoring" or "natural flavorings" on packaging as well. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanillin

[Anonymous]

I did this and use it all the time. I haven’t killed anyone yet.