On Thu, 24 Apr 2014 09:40:07 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>On 2014-04-24 9:03 AM, Steve Freides wrote:
>
>> I'm not sure how you're using "essence" here - how's that different from
>> an "extract", which is what I think we created by soaking the beans in
>> bourbon - the bourbon is what I use as a replacement for store-bought
>> vanilla extract.
>>
>
>I had assumed that the "essence" is the same as extract.... soaking the
>beans in alcohol.

Yup. In Australia it's normally referred to as an 'essence', so I just
that word out of habit.

>I wish I had had the sense to do that when my nephew and his wife
>brought us a bug bundle of vanilla beans when they came back from a
>couple years living in Uganda. I didn't have much use for vanilla beans
>back then and by the time I got around to using them the texture was
>more like cinnamon sticks. If I had done it back then, about 15 years
>ago, I would probably still have lots of extract left.

You would indeed. Even though I don't make many desserts these days
I'm really glad we did make that essence, comes in handy and as you
say, lasts for many years.