Homemade Vinegar

Red and white wine vinegars

For years I thought about making homemade vinegar, but since we don't drink and are not in the habit of buying alcohol, I never got around to it.  A couple of years ago, when a friend gave us a bottle of red wine, I was thrilled!  It was a sign from the universe that now was the time to try my hand at making designer vinegar.

No, I had no idea what I was doing, but that never stopped me before.   I did a Google search and didn't find a whole lot of information about it on the web [There is a lot more out there now!], so I did a lot of winging it.  This is what I learned:

Vanilla

I love vanilla.  I love vanilla ice cream.  I love vanilla candles. 

Just thinking about it lowers my blood pressure.   

Heaven lies in the vanilla bean; I'm sure of it.  At the very least, I expect that if you get to the pearly gates and present one to St. Peter, he'll definitely let you in. 

In the meantime, you can make your own vanilla extract.  With real vanilla beans.  And real booze.   It's totally easy.

Here is a bottle of my vanilla.  Doesn't it smell great?!   Those dark spots in it are real vanilla beans.  Here's how you do it:




1.  I start with a bottle of brandy.   My fave is E & J.  My husbands initials are E & J, but that's not why I use this.  I use this because it's brandy and it's in a pretty bottle.  

2.  You also need a vanilla bean or two...or twelve.  The more beans you use, the more powerful your extract.

You can get vanilla beans from quality spice places like Penzey's.  I got my last batch from Atlantic Spice Company.  If you're west of the Mississippi, it'll be San Francisco Herb - it's the same company but they ship from San Francisco instead of Massachusetts.  Right now, vanilla beans are $17.50 for 4 oz of beans.   That'll keep you in vanilla extract and vanilla sugar for a few years.   Store the extras in the freezer.  These companies have a minimum order of $30, but the sites are full of all sorts of herbs and spices and containers.    Make sure you check out their Miscellaneous category.  You won't have a problem meeting the $30 minimum; you'll have a problem keeping it at $30.  

3.  You can leave the beans long, but I cut them in smaller lengths because they fit on the bottom of the brandy bottle and stay submerged, thereby continuing to impart full flavor until the very last drop.

4.  Slice each bean lengthwise to expose the center.   It's not a crisis if you cut all the way through.   You're just trying to open the beans and let the seeds hit the brandy.  Some folks say to scrape the seeds out, but you don't have to.

5.  Drop the beans in the brandy bottle.  That's it.  You're done.

6.  You can put it in a window for a week or so and let the sun heat it up and release the vanilla a bit faster [plus brandy loves heat]  or you can just put it in your cupboard.   It's ready to go when you open it up and smell vanilla.

Adventures in Alcohol

Lemonade Lucy

For the record, I am a teetotaler.  And I just found out that I can also call myself a teetotalist.  The spell check doesn't like that, but Wikipedia does.  I can spell it teetotaller, too.   And the spell check really hates that - it gave me the red wavy underline and a scolding.   Geez.    Wiki says that the word possibly came from the manner of signing the pledge to abstain from alcohol during the temperance movement:  T- total.  Meaning, total temperance.    Now you know.

Other notable non-drinkers are Rutherford B. Hayes and his wife Lucy, who was known as Lemonade Lucy because she refused to serve alcohol at White House functions.   Also, Gene Simmons.  Yes, the one from KISS.   If you want to hear a great song about alcohol, I recommend Brad Paisley's song:  Alcohol   I heart Brad Paisley.  Just sayin'.

Now, just because I do not drink does not mean I do not buy alcohol and use it in other ways.