Vanilla infusion

[lancastermike]

My wife has taken a shine to the vanilla flavored vodkas now available. Anyone make their own? Just a couple of beans in a bottle of vodka or is there more to it than that. Any help for a potential infuser? Is that a word? I have made limoncello and we love that.

[slkinsey]

Exactly. A few vanilla beans (poke some small holes in them), liquor and time. I've done a vanilla-infused bourbon a time or two. Save the vanilla beans when you're done. You can scrape them out and use it in a dessert.

[KatieLoeb]

Back when I was at Striped Bass, the Pastry Department always had tons of already scraped out vanilla pods laying about. I stuffed a handful of those into some bourbon and let it sit for a couple of months.

End result was delicious.

Know any professional bakers? Maybe you could get their used pods from them?

[Alchemist]

I have infused a few bottles of liqour over the years and i kept coming up against the same problem. As soon as Had infued peppers into something my sweet tooth would come out. I now just infuse simple syrups. I have around 12 simples in my fridge. This way I can use the vanilla in both burbon and vodka. Also you have more contol over the intensity of the flavor in each cocktail. You can rinse a glass leaving just a whisper of the flavor or use it in equal parts to the acid and have it a bold, blustery statement.