Peter wrote:

> Have decided to make some vanilla essence... Got a kilo of beans, chopped
> them up and put that into about 4 litres of Vodka... Used a stab blender to
> chop them up a bit more... Even after three days the aroma is stunning. The
> taste strong and rich, yet the vodka kind of comes through and to my taste,
> it needs a bit of caramalised sugar to round it... Any suggestions?
>
> Peter Watson

You lucky dawg you. I made coffee liquor from _The Encyclopedia of Spices_
coupla vanilla beans & big cup of strong espresso into a fifth size bottle
(750ml), top off with Everclear or vodka. Shake 1 a day for a week, 1 a wk for
a month, store sideways for six months. Just about ready - smells great,
vanilla pods completely broken down now only sediment. And I do have a vanilla
vine. Now to get it to just the right light (feeding okay). May get a flower in
next decade or two. I'll wait, I'm a patient gardener.
Edrena