Katra wrote:
> In article .com>,
> "Sheldon" > wrote:
>
>
>>ms. tonya wrote:
>>
>>>Going to make my first batch of homemade vanilla extract -2 fold-
>>
>>very
>>
>>>shortly using organic vanilla beans & wondering if anyone who is a
>>>master of this has tips or even their recipe they wouldn't mind
>>
>>giving
>>
>>>out.
>>
>>If they're good quality fresh beans and you intend to use the resultant
>>extract in a way that it will be subjected to high temperatures such as
>>in baked goods, then you are wasting your vanilla beans. Use your
>>beans for something not subjected to high temperatures, like ice
>>cream... for anything heated past boiling use vanilla flavoring, not
>>even extract. Modern vanilla flavoring is indistinguishable by humans
>>from even the most expensive extract if it will be subjected to high
>>temperatures. Save your real vanilla for desserts, like puddings, ice
>>cream, whipped cream, frostings, etc., not for cakes, cookies, or
>>anything where it will be cooked.
>>
>>Sheldon
>>
> <shiver> Sorry babe, but there are many people, myself included, that
> CAN tell the difference between "real" vanilla extract vs. the fake
> stuff. I can't stand the fake stuff!

Actually, there aren't very many people who can tell the difference
between the various grades of extract or the synthetic flavorings. It's
perhaps within the realm of possibility you're one, but a rather
distinguished tasting panel put together by Cooks Illustrated came up
with some surprising results. They preferred the imitation vanilla to
the extract in everything tested. These were no rookies, but skilled
professionals with developed palates.

As usual, Sheldon is mostly full of crap when he pontificates about what
gets cooked and what doesn't and how hot they get. "Past boiling..." Right.

> There are a lot of dessert chefs that I've seen on the cooking shows
> (especially the ones on the stuff done at the teaching schools) that
> don't use vanilla extract. They split the beans open and scrape them
> out, and use the mush that is inside of the beans for direct flavoring.

There are just as many who will tell you that searing meat seals in the
juices. Science is coming to the kitchen, but slowly.

> I've never tried that, but I scored a number of fresh and inexpensive
> beans off of ebay that are residing in my refrigerator right now that I
> intend to try that with. ;-d

If they're inexpensive, they're suspect. Vanilla and saffron keep
changing places to be the most expensive flavoring agent. As for fresh,
that's not what you want. You want dry, dark brown, almost crisp,
obviously dessicated beans. They should be stored in a cool, dry place,
not a fridge where they might get some condensation on them and grow molds.

Pastorio