More Than Sauerkraut And Dumplings - The Contest!

[Linky]

Koechin (Chef) wrote:
Wow! What great information! I bought Vanilla Beans over the internet and the recipe that came with it to make your own called for Vodka or Bourboun. I also received a "Kit" for making your own as a present, and it was a pretty little bottle of vodka and 3 vanilla beans. As far as the oblaten I had a very old boz they came in and it said Rice flour as an ingredient? Your information I am sure is 21st century upgrade!

You're in the deep South; I'm in the far North; we probably have different sources for products. I would guess vodka and bourbon would be easier for a consumer to acquire than ethyl alcohol - not exactly something you see on the shelves!

Now I'm really curious-- I went into the cupboard and looked at the ingredients of a box of Kuchle (mit Umlaut) Back Oblaten: Weitzenmehl, Starke/ wheat flour, starch. From looking at my friend, the internet, I see that rice paper wafers are used when you want to transfer a picture or photograph to a cake. It can go through a special printer with edible ink. Who knew? (But I have had a clerk in a store willing to sell me rice paper wafers when I asked for Oblaten!)

[Mia in Germany]

Linky wrote:

Koechin (Chef) wrote:
Wow! What great information! I bought Vanilla Beans over the internet and the recipe that came with it to make your own called for Vodka or Bourboun. I also received a "Kit" for making your own as a present, and it was a pretty little bottle of vodka and 3 vanilla beans. As far as the oblaten I had a very old boz they came in and it said Rice flour as an ingredient? Your information I am sure is 21st century upgrade!

You're in the deep South; I'm in the far North; we probably have different sources for products. I would guess vodka and bourbon would be easier for a consumer to acquire than ethyl alcohol - not exactly something you see on the shelves!

Now I'm really curious-- I went into the cupboard and looked at the ingredients of a box of Kuchle (mit Umlaut) Back Oblaten: Weitzenmehl, Starke/ wheat flour, starch. From looking at my friend, the internet, I see that rice paper wafers are used when you want to transfer a picture or photograph to a cake. It can go through a special printer with edible ink. Who knew? (But I have had a clerk in a store willing to sell me rice paper wafers when I asked for Oblaten!)

Love that cow

Great info all over!
The recipe I used for vanilla extract calls for Vodka, too. I think I can explain the Bourbon: Bourbon matures in oak barrels. The oak wood contains something called lignin that releases vanillin to the alcohol, thus the typical vanilla flavour of bourbon which sure makes it suitable for making vanilla extract.
I think the next vanilla extract I'm going to make will be with Bourbon. Thanks for the great idea!!
My source for good and not too expensive vanilla beans is a vanilla seller who also sells via ebay in Germany:

http://www.madavanilla.de

Usually I use the seeds of the beans for baking and then put the rest of the beans into yoghurt or almond or rice milk to make vanilla yoghurt or vanilla milk

[Charlotte J]

Made

Mom's Meatloaf (German Falsche Hase) #112779

and

Austrian Eggs #207107

[Elmotoo]

please don't laugh too hard...

dh has been playing with making infused vodkas. we decided to try vanilla vodka since vanilla is one of my favorite flavors. actually it's probably #1. anyway...he bottled up some vanilla beans & vodka. it sat. and sat. and sat. he asked when i was going to drink it. i shrugged because i VERY VERY RARELY drink anything & then it's usually a beer, 2 if i'm feeling rowdy. it is now BLACK. probably closer to vanilla extract than vanilla vodka. not that that's a bad thing....

[Mia in Germany]

It is vanilla extract now, and it will be nice and strong!
I think that for vanilla infused vodka you might want to strain it after a week or so
But you could still use some of it to flavour plain vodka.

[Mia in Germany]

Charlotte J wrote:
Made

Mom's Meatloaf (German Falsche Hase) #112779

and

Austrian Eggs #207107

Thank you, I'll get that marked!

[Mia in Germany]

And CONGRATS to Becky for having the recipe and the photo of the day!!
Looks absolutely wonderful!

[Koechin (Chef)]

Here is something I also do with vanilla beans,that my mother allways did. I stick it into my sugar canister. I was making rice pudding and when I was done I took out the vanilla bean (I had only slit it ,but not scraped it). I carefully rinsed it, dried it and stuck it in the sugar.
BTW. I LOVE that cow!!!!

[Linky]

Mu mu mu so bruellt die bunte Kuh...

So you guys have made me much more interested in vanilla than ever before. Because good quality extract has always been available, I have never used a real vanilla bean for anything. But, I do have one lonely vanilla bean sealed in a glass tube. I found it in my mother's cupboard a long time ago - she died in 1991 and who knows how long she had it. So, today, if I can remember where I put it, I will open the Magic Bean and put it in some sugar... I'll let you know what happens!

[Mia in Germany]

Wow, I'm really curious if the bean still is good. If it's sealed - who knows. Hope you'll find it!

[Elmotoo]

dried out vanilla beans are excellent for chai or steeping in milk for custards,etc. then you can still rinse & add to sugar.

[Linky]

Elmotoo wrote:
dried out vanilla beans are excellent for chai or steeping in milk for custards,etc. then you can still rinse & add to sugar.

Thanks, I'll try that first!

[Elmotoo]

making German Rotkohl - Spiced Red Cabbage With Apples and Wine tonight.
Beth

[Elmotoo]

Elmotoo wrote:
making German Rotkohl - Spiced Red Cabbage With Apples and Wine tonight.
Beth

YUM! It cooled off/humidity broke so I was able to make this without dying in the heat. Absolutely delicious. I just reviewed it while I'm still eating it, lol. My tongue & back of my mouth are tingly...mmmmmmm!

xo Bethie

[Koechin (Chef)]

Elmotoo, don't you have A.C.? We needed it even when we lived in Wisconsin. Now in Mississippi it is an absolute must.