In article >,
Ozark Baby > wrote:

> We are planning on making our own homemade vanilla extract. What I
> want to do is to be able to give some as gifts. What size bottle would
> anyone recommend for gifts? The other question is if I would need to
> seal, like with canning, such jars of extract once it is made, after 6
> months, or what? Would this homemade extract be ok just sitting on
> shelves or should it be refrigerated or what? Any suggestions would be
> appreciated.

Mine's been sitting on the counter for at least a year. I've got a
couple vanilla beans soaking in some cheap brandy and I replenish the
brandy when the volume gets low. I don't use it very often so it has
time to rejuvenate. I have no idea if or when I'll know that the
vanilla beans have lost their vanilla selves. I'd recommend a nice 8-10
ounce bottle, myself. Try some fancy schmancy kitchen shops or some low
class dollar stores for the bottles. If they don't come with corks, buy
some.

-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller