How to make vanilla extract?

[dariorpl]

In We Want To Live, Aajonus writes: "VANILLA EXTRACT should be organically grown and should contain its natural alcohol.", but he doesn't specify how you're supposed to make it. In The Recipe For Living Without Disease he mentions using organic vanilla extract, but doesn't explain how to make it.

Does anyone know how this is made? I've been looking for recipes but they all call for using high proof liquor, which Aajonus said is all toxic without exception. So what is the natural way to ferment vanilla beans so that they create their natural alcohol, without you having to add toxic alcohol yourself? Any ideas?

[cherimoya_kid]

No idea, sorry.

[eveheart]

Do you already have a source of fresh, organic, unfermented vanilla beans? Or do you just want to buy organic ones already fermented, (in which case they are ready to use)?

[A_Tribe_Called_Paleo]

AV approved of the Fronteir non alcoholic vinnilla exatract brand

[eveheart]

Does AV approve of glycerin, which is the liquid in Frontier non-alcoholic vanilla extract? You can just scrape the beans and get the pure vanilla bean's pulp, which is where the flavor comes from.

[dariorpl]

I've never even seen a vanilla bean, organic or not. But I suppose I would get them raw, unfermented and organic if possible.

[eveheart]

I think you'd have better luck finding whole fermented vanilla beans, unless you live where they grow. The flavor develops from fermentation, and I don't think it's an easy process. The whole beans are found in gourmet markets, maybe in some ethnic markets, and online.

[dariorpl]

Do you know how they ferment them?

[eveheart]

Do you know how they ferment them?

Yes, I'm a fermenter, and I have read about how they ferment everything. Like the fermentation of tea leaves, coffee beans, and cacao beans, I don't consider it to be a DIY project. You can google descriptions of the process online.

[dariorpl]

All the sources I found used cooking and continual heating to around 50 Celsius. But it looks like sun-drying has something to do with the process.

Do you know how it's made without cooking them or artificially heating them (other than through sun-drying)?

[eveheart]

AFAIK, heat (sweating) is involved to develop the chemicals that bring out the aroma of vanilla beans. Researching things like that in a modern world is part of the fun of RPD. Try googling "vanilla bean processing" and "raw vanilla bean" and then contact the sources to find out any unanswered questions.

You also might consider that you are not eating these beans as a raw food, but more as a tonifying supplement. As in the case of many, many supplements, they are not represented as "raw" or unprocessed. If that is okay with you, just find organic vanilla beans, or buy the brand that AV recommends.