What a wonderful sight….

I’ve been using Evan Williams bottled in Bond bourbon to make vanilla, the 100 proof is sufficient and I like the bourbon flavor with the vanilla.

Tom – glad you’re still around, I enjoy your comments.

I’ve been messing with this vanilla stuff for many years. While I prefer the everclear for making a baking product, bourbon and dark rum also lend themselves to a nice vanilla and can make some super good drinks.

As Shawn can likely attest to, the everclear variety of vanilla is superb for baking or making anything light in color as it will not stain or darken like the Mexican junk so many people think is the cat’s meow will. Ma makes angle food cakes from scratch and I make pearl tapioca from scratch and we both swear by the everclear variety.

I mentioned making a vanilla phosphate back when this thread was started and have since tried on and its not bad, much like cream soda. Vanilla, simple syrup or sugar and some charged water and ice cube and you have a nice drink with adult overtones. The infused bourbon fixed this way is very good. Don’t go sweet too fast as the sweet can really take off with the bourbon.

Shawn has since discovered that ebay or any other online shopping network will yield a ton of vanila bean options at very reasonable prices. I’ll see if the ebay site that I have always gotten my beans from is still selling and if so I’ll post the link. Its an asian-based company but the beans come out of California within a day or two. And free shipping!

Vanillabeanmarket.com is a Minnesota outlet that specializes in some unique vanilla products, including whole beans but they are spendy. I’ve used her beans to make vanilla and the beans have always been very high quality. I found the ebay site for the beans I order and will revisit it in the morning and post the link.

10 Bourbon Vanilla Beans/pods Grade A 13-14 Cm Length Around 5″-6″…. this is what to search in the Ebay site under “vanilla beans”.

I got my beans off Amazon through Vanilla Bean Kings.

I’m sure the beans are all close the same quality? I have no comparison for bean taste though because the only 1 time I got beans you mailed them to me.

I have 3 bottles of everclear with vanilla beans tucked away in brown bags now. We’ll have plenty of vanilla for years to come.