I've been making my own vanilla syrup lately and using it for two
things - add to seltzer to make cream soda (adding a bit of half and
half is optional), and add to iced espresso, along with half and half to
make a Starbucks-like concoction, an iced vanilla latte.

The recipes I find call for _way_ less vanilla extract that I like -
it's nice to taste vanilla. The recipes I've been finding online call
for 1-1/2 cups sugar, 1-1/2 cups water to make the simple syrup, and
then 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract. I've been using an entire 4 oz.
bottle of vanilla extract for that much syrup - tastes much better, says
me, and still plenty sweet enough. That's a _lot_ more vanilla than
these recipes suggest.

I'm just sayin' ... I know it's all a matter of taste, but if you make
vanilla syrup, try upping the vanilla.

-S-

Steve Freides wrote:
> I've been making my own vanilla syrup lately and using it for two
> things - add to seltzer to make cream soda (adding a bit of half and
> half is optional), and add to iced espresso, along with half and half
> to make a Starbucks-like concoction, an iced vanilla latte.
>
> The recipes I find call for _way_ less vanilla extract that I like -
> it's nice to taste vanilla. The recipes I've been finding online call
> for 1-1/2 cups sugar, 1-1/2 cups water to make the simple syrup, and
> then 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract. I've been using an entire 4
> oz. bottle of vanilla extract for that much syrup - tastes much
> better, says me, and still plenty sweet enough. That's a _lot_ more
> vanilla than these recipes suggest.
>
> I'm just sayin' ... I know it's all a matter of taste, but if you
> make vanilla syrup, try upping the vanilla.
>
> -S-

An update - we use our vanilla-heavy vanilla syrup as-is in our
afternoon ice latte, but for the kids cream soda, we use an equal
portion of simple syrup to make it more resemble 'normal' vanilla syrup.

It was fun to become a soda shop of sorts last night as my oldest had a
bunch of friends over while my youngest assisted in the kitchen - make
seltzer in the machine, put vanilla syrup and simple syrup in the bottom
of a glass, add seltzer, stir, add a little bit of half and half, then
ice. Must have made 10 of these last night, all seemed well received,
and nice to know there were no preservatives, etc., in what they were
drinking, and still less sugar (?) than in a commercially produced soda.

-S-