the next project from Bake the Bread, Buy the Butter (BtB,BtB?) is making vanilla extract. it seems too easy for words: cut open some vanilla pods [that one’s sister-in-law kindly hand-me-downed last summer], scrape out the seeds, put seeds and pod into jar of medium-quality vodka [that one’s husband bought for a gin-making experiment but hasn’t used yet]. let macerate for 3 months, shaking occasionally. strain out all the yuck, and presto! you have the equivalent of $53-worth of store-bought vanilla extract.

it turns out that vanilla seeds are really really tiny. when you see flecks of vanilla in custard or ice cream, that’s not chopped up vanilla seeds or pods (as i thought it was), that’s the whole seed. scraping the seeds out of the pods is like scooping sticky spoonfuls of the tiniest black caviar you ever saw. it sticks to everything and does NOT want to go in to the jar. it’s tedious. but, remember, 16 oz of vanilla, $0 cash outlay.

so my homemade vanilla extract is in the “tim burton snow globe” phase of development right now. check back on april 14. after saving all this money on vanilla, i just might have to get a blow torch to make proper creme brule with all my new vanilla extract.