The Perfect Gift
It may seem early to be thinking about the holidays, but the perfect holiday gift needs time to age. I am speaking about one of my favorite gifts to give, homemade vanilla. It is surprisingly easy to make, absolutely delicious, and less than ten dollars per bottle.
Last year, I made several bottles to give to friends, party hosts, and for gift exchanges. I tied on a cute rubber scraper and my recipe for high-altitude chocolate chip cookies. They were a hit and everyone loved the idea.
Pick a Base Spirit
A good bottle of vanilla should age a minimum of four months. But the longer it ages, the better it gets. The base of vanilla is either bourbon or vodka. Vodka is typically cheaper but bourbon seems to lend a deeper depth of flavor. Just make sure to pick a good quality spirit. Consider using a Colorado-made spirit to help keep your money local.
Shop For Supplies
The supplies you will need are flip-top glass bottles, labels (adhesive or tie-on), food-safe sanitizer, and vanilla beans. I ordered a sixteen pack of eight ounce bottles on Amazon for twenty-five dollars along with a bottle of Star San Sanitizer.
Adhesive labels are fairly easy to find. Craft stores typically have blank labels with cute designs. If you are like me and hate your handwriting, you can order personalized adhesive labels for under ten dollars. I place my adhesive labels onto cardstock paper so that I could tie them on with twine for a rustic look.
Finally, the vanilla beans are sold locally at Trader Joes, Costco, and your local grocery stores. I found them to be much cheaper on Amazon so I ordered mine. When ordering, consider how many bottles you will make. The basic recipe is three vanilla beans to one cup of spirits. My bottles were all eight ounces, so I ordered a minimum of forty-eight vanilla beans.
Homemade Vanilla
Once you have sourced your ingredients and supplies, you’re ready to get started! Begin by soaking your bottles in the Star San solution. This a brewing sanitizer and doesn’t require rinsing. You will need to let your bottles air dry to fully sanitize.
While your bottles are drying, grab a sharp knife and a cutting board. Make a long incision down each vanilla bean to expose the good stuff in the middle. When the bottles are dry, add 3 beans to each bottle. If the beans are too long, just cut them in half.
Next, grab a funnel and fill each bottle with the spirit of your choice. Make sure to leave about an inch of space at the top. Close bottles and gently place them in a cardboard box. Place the box into a dark, cool space to age. A basement or interior closet is best.
Decorate and Adorn
After four months, remove the bottles and affix your labels. Dress the bottles up with raffia, twine, or curling ribbon. Some optional items to tie onto your bottle are measuring spoons, rubber scraper, wooden spoon, a recipe involving vanilla, and/or add it to a gift basket full of baking supplies. Prepare to amaze your gift recipients with your crafty skills!
