Comments on: The Great Vanilla Extract Experiment

By: The Grass is Always Greener… — an american expat in deutschland

The Grass is Always Greener… — an american expat in deutschland — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:04:56 +0000

[...] in the baking aisle, there was real, honest to goodness, vanilla extract (I’m still going to make my own though). Dr Pepper is now available at the same price as other sodas, along with vanilla and cherry [...]

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:55:28 +0000

Thanks! I’ve always wondered why I couldn’t find extract here in Munich and what I could do about it. Good idea!

By: Lisa Hecker

Lisa Hecker — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:21:58 +0000

Thank you sooo much for this site and particularly this article on Vanilla extract. I go through so much Dr. Oetker’s Vanilla Bourbon, and my German husband just does not understand my frustration at having to buy those stupid tiny little packets! I’ve been in Germany under a year and really wish I would have found this site sooner! It would have saved me a lot of figuring stuff out on my own. I cannot wait to try the vanilla extract recipe. Vanilla extract was already on my list of things to buy on my next trip to Cali. Hopefully in the future I can take that one off my list! Thanks again!

By: Christina G

Christina G — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 23:03:38 +0000

I’ll update this post this weekend. The homemade vanilla extract is so so so much better than the store-bought stuff, even the one from William Sonoma. It’s great making your own too, cause when your bottle gets to half-empty, you just fill it up with vodka again, wait a week, and you’re good to go at full strength, it’s just the initial time that takes so long to mature. You can buy different types of vanilla beans and different alcohols and experiment with the flavor if you’re creative too.

By: Expat21

Expat21 — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:17:49 +0000

Wow, I am so glad to find this. I live in the Middle East, and most of the time they don’t even SELL vanilla extract here (since it has alcohol). So I will try this immediately. I’ve actually had a vinilla ben sitting in my cupboard for a while (which they DO sell here), but I didn’t know what to DO with it!

Expat 21
“Expat Abroad”
expat21.wordpress.com

By: Leesa

Leesa — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:34:11 +0000

Hey Christina!

Happy New Year to you! I have to admit that when we went back to Cali. in April I bought 4 very large bottles of yummy vanilla extract from Costco and I have gone through about 2/3 of one bottle since then – I’m a baker!! : ) I have also read about making your own v. extract…It looks pretty easy… we make our own citron confit for tagine and it’s WAYYYY better then the stuff you buy at the store! We used bio citrons, too… Please let me know if your homemade extra was tasty and if you recommend that I make some for myself… If you think it’s a lot better than the store bought stuff, I’ll go ahead… Thanks and thanks for stopping my today… I’m going to go read the rest of your post.. Tchus, Leesa

Leesas last blog post..Insurance/sminsurance!!

By: christina

christina — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:23:49 +0000

Excellent! I might have to try that now that there are only a few teaspoons left in my bottle of vanilla extract. I always buy a huge one when we’re on holiday and it usually lasts a couple of years.

By: Christina G

Christina G — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 22:14:27 +0000

@bek: ohhh, I’ve still got three vanilla beans, that gives me an idea for another post!

@diane: you are easily impressed, I see

@g: That’s funny! I wonder how many other people got the idea to make vanilla extract for the first time this month…

@hezamarie: It’s supposed to be WAAAY better than the stuff in the store. We’ll see…

@migraine meister: I use vanilla extract for french toast, cookies, cakes, lots of stuff — I will put the dog post on the idea pile, thanks! Maybe it’ll convince your hubby! (Mine took a few years, but I finally broke him down) — We don’t need to sign up at the Kindergarten here until a week before he starts. That’s the nice thing about living in a small village — I don’t have an opinion on the 3 year olds in Kiga thing, but I guess it’s probably fine. Never really thought about it…

@rositta: You should definitely do it. It’s fun, easy and it’s supposed to be super yummy.

By: rositta

rositta — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 01:59:43 +0000

Christina, thanks for that post. I use a lot of vanilla and never thought about making my own. I will now though for sure…ciao

By: Migraine Meister

Migraine Meister — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:14:59 +0000

WOW Christina – RESPECT!

I only use vanilla extract for my choc. chip cookies and the Dr. Oetker “Finesse Natürliches Bourbon-Vanille Aroma” works really nice for that recipe…

For which recipes do you use vanilla extract?

So enjoying your blog and newly added videos!

My family back in the States would love for us to do a blog like yours, but I could just as well say, “Read Christina’s blog – es geht uns genauso!” – Except I married a life sciences guy and can’t convince my husband to get a dog! (yet!!)

If you need an idea for a blog, I would love to hear your experiences about owning a dog in Germany/how much it costs/taxes,insurance, obedience school – I mean I already know most of these things from my neighbors, but you have such a cool perspective on things!

You showed us your local Kindergarten in your last video – have you signed Oliver up yet? Our Kigas are so full here we had to sign up our son when he was 3 months old! What do you think about kids already going to Kiga with 3 years?

Have a good weekend!