Homemade Vanilla Extract

I made my own vanilla extract recently, and it's inexpensive and really good! I bought my beans through a co-op so they were quite reasonable. We ordered from The Organic Vanilla Bean Company. I've heard that they also sell their beans on eBay for a good price. I bought two types of beans, Tahitian and Bourbon. I also bought a bottle of vodka.

I poured 2 cups of vodka into a mason jar and added six Tahitian beans that I'd cut the long way with kitchen shears, leaving the last inch of the bean intact. I repeated the process with a second mason jar, using another 2 cups of vodka and six Bourbon beans.

I pushed the beans down so that they were submerged in the vodka. Then I put the jars into a closet, away from the light. I put a reminder on my computer to shake the bottles weekly. Considering the sad state of my brain, I probably should have also set a reminder about where I put the jars, but I managed to remember that much on my own. I guess my memory isn't completely trashed!

I shook the jars weekly for eight weeks. I now have two jars of vanilla extract, without any of the sweeteners and other less than desirable ingredients that are added to most commercial vanilla extracts. The plan was to pour them into smaller amber jars and put pretty labels on them, but, as with so many things in my life, I haven't gotten there yet!