Taste of Kentucky and Madagascar ...Bourbon Vanilla Extract

Bourbon Vanilla Extract

Never buy vanilla extract again..
I will show you  how to make vanilla extract? Homemade Vanilla Extract is prized for its rich, complex flavor and incredibly smooth aroma. . Move your baking to a whole new level with this easy to follow recipe. There absolutely is no substitute

Many people are often familiar with clear or imitation vanilla extract. The difference between pure vanilla and imitation vanilla is simple; pure vanilla extract is made from whole vanilla beans extracted using 35%+ alcohol - that's it! Don't be fooled by extracts that claim to be pure. Imitation and clear vanilla utilizes artificial flavors and harmful chemicals. Pure vanilla extract should be dark brown; the color of Vanilla Beans used in the extraction process.

Step 1: SLICE

Slice each bean once long-ways and place in bottle. (If it helps to cut them into smaller, tootsie roll-sized pieces so they fit in the bottle more easily, go for it). I use 3 to 4 whole bean per 8 oz bottle.
Slicing Vanilla Beans

sliced vanilla beans in bottle

Step 2: POUR

Pouring bourbon

Pour one cup of vodka, rum or alcohol of your choice Tonight I used Bourbon because  I like the tang of the whisky.(You can do a little for you...... a little in the bottle just make sure the beans are fully submerged...lol).

Step 3: SHAKE

Shake once or twice a week - for best results, put on some funk music or do the Nne Nne.

Step 4: WAIT

Finished just need to wait and shake..

Wait about 8 weeks (plenty of time to research oodles of scrumptious Baking Recipes) Presto, your alcohol has turned into delicious vanilla! Store it at room temp and out of direct sunlight, and you can enjoy this puppy til' the last drop!

A great resource for  Vanilla  Beans  and bottles is BEANILLA

What makes homemade vanilla extract so much better than "store bought"? First, you have control over the quality and type of vanilla used in the extract. Using premium grade vanilla beans will provide significantly better flavor and aroma than commercially produced extracts. Did you know that you can make vanilla extract from different types of vanilla beans? Each different vanilla variety will create a unique flavor!
Do you prefer bold and smokey? If so, try Ugandan vanilla beans. Traditional, rich and creamy? Use Madagascar Vanilla Beans! Floral aroma with a unique cherry-chocolate flavor? Venture to the Tahitian vanilla beans. You can even blend various varieties together! The floral, fruity, cherry like notes of the Tahitian variety blend wonderfully with the nutty-chocolate character of the Bourbon varieties.
After 8 weeks the vast majority of the extraction process is complete. At this point the the vanilla is ready to use and the vanilla beans can be removed. If the vanilla beans are left in the bottle, the flavor will continue to evolve just like a fine wine (just be sure the beans are always submerged in alcohol).

Visit Website Feb. 2016 for my new Vanilla Line   www.calabarsoap.com

Kansas Beeswax

Raw Honey Comb

I use beeswax as a main ingredient in several of my products i.e. lotion sticks, deodorant sticks and lip butters. You can buy beeswax online...but it is usually so over process that it loses all its honey goodness.

Raw Honey Comb

 I like to get my beeswax from bee keepers here in Kansas. I received some yummy honey scented beeswax from a keeper near Pratt. My supply was running low and I need more. 

At one of the Farmers Markets I work, I met the Schmieds who own Oaksmied Honey. Ruth, Rocky and their daughter Grace. Ruth gave me a tub of raw unprocessed beeswax straight from the hive.  

Honey

I had it sitting around for a couple of weeks. Garnet got tired of looking at it and decided to process it for me. First he strained thru a metal strainer with cheese cloth to harvest the remaining honey (Garnet said he will use this to make Honey Wine). 

Garnet straining thru
cheese cloth

Cheese cloth straining

The comb was then placed in a pot with enough water to cover the comb. Turn to low boil just enough to melt the wax. 

After cooking and cooling

Stirring occasionally to make sure everything is melted. Then strain through a large metal strainer to catch the larger debris and sediments from the comb. Let it cool until wax is harden and then remelt and strain again with cheese cloth. 

Garnet and the finished product

Block of beeswax

Finished product honey and beeswax

By this time your beeswax should be clean. If its not you can melt and strain again. Let it cool over night and in the morning you will have a clean block of honey scented beeswax. 

I mix this beeswax with cocoa butter and coconut oil to become a base for my lotion sticks, natural deodorant bars and lip butters. 

This was not meant to be a tutorial. If you need information on how to process beeswax here is some links to a few tube videos and online tutorial.

What is better than my French Pefume...

  I love my perfume.. especially French perfume. My favorites being Chanel's. My mother never really wore perfume so my love of perfumes came from my Aunt Charlene.

Aunt Charlene's 94th Birthday

Any discussion of Aunt Charlene...  how nice she smelled was always mention. 
Even her house smelled wonderful and everyone loved the smell. Aunt Charlene had all the little perfume jars lined up like liquid jewels. 

Part of my Private collection

I quickly learned that  cheap perfume was a waste of time and money. In order to afford the nice stuff I must make a bottle last a year. So I only spray it on for special occasions or when I am feeling really blue.

My mother gave me the other day a bottle of perfume from my Aunt Charlene's collection. I pick it up and smell it everyday. My Aunt Charlene is 96 years old.  I just smell it ...never use it... I have to make this bottle last a lifetime.

Aunt Charlene's Parfum

Josephine Baker Soap Box

I have been fascinated by Josephine Baker since Jr. High. I first really started to know about her when I read her obituary when she died. Wow... what a amazing life. I read everything I could find about her. My goal was to get to Paris and walk the same streets she walked. I finally did make it to Paris( many times) I was exhilarated just to be in her city, but also disappointed that there isn't really anything there left of her. She has a street corner(Place Josephine) and a swimming pool named after her. I was looking for more a museum or something. Due to my research I was able to walk past her old apartment on the Champs-Elysees, her night club and the Bobino the final venue she preformed at before her death.

I wanted some way to honor her. So with my business Calabar Soap I designed a commemorative soap box feathering Josephine as a Show girl.

Josephine Baker Soap Box

* RASPBERRY LEMON BUBBLE BATH 8oz A refreshing blend of muddled raspberries with lemon, sugar and vanilla.

* VANILLA NOIR LOTION BAR 2oz. A hypnotic blend of dark vanilla bean, black amber and exotic spices

* CHOCOLATE BANANA BODY BAR 4oz Creamy Cocoa and Shea Butters make a yummy banana cocoa soap.

* AVOCADO BASTILLE FACIAL BAR 4oz Olive and Avocado oils a treat for your face.

* MAD MELON LIP BUTTER STICK .15oz Juicy trio of juicy cantaloupe, green honeydew and sweet red watermelon.

* PARIS PERFUME ROLL 15ml Hyacinth, jasmine and iris with a hint of sparkling citrus.

Click here to order..

SHE WASN'T JUST A SHOW GIRL.. 1906- 1975

Josephine Baker-first African-American woman to star in a major motion picture, Zouzou(1934),to integrate an American concert hall & to become a world-famous entertainer. Also noted for her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement(she was offered unofficial leadership of the movement by Coretta Scott King in 1968 after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, but turned it down),for assisting the French Resistance during World War II & for receiving the French military honor, the Croix de guerre. A mother of 12 adopted children from all over the world. A beautiful spirit, she embraced all colors, rejected racial segregation and pushed the limits during a time when black women had few options or no opportunities.

Shox vx Jayhawk

Watching the  the big rivals that never gets to play each other. Thanks to March Madness my two team will final play each other. for the first time in years. I cant decide who I want to win. Today I decided.. that I don't have to decide. It is almost like picking which child you love the best. Yes I might have a favorite..but care about both equally. I will be happy for who wins and sad for who loses.

Long time no post

Well its been a long time since my last post. I have a lot of new thing s going on. I decided this blog will take a new direction. Nor really because it a lifestyle blog so just adding more to my life style. Namely business Calabar Soaps.

Fly Paper Strips Pinterest Fail

I was tired of swatting flies...gross. So I found this recipe for fly paper strips on Pinterest. They turned out lovely . When I woke up in they were morning covered in flies... problem they didn't stick. They all flew away when I approached. In the trash..Fail