Who would have thought that a simple errand to buy some vanilla extract would end up pointing me into a new life passion? When I picked up the nearest one at the store, the price was the first surprise. Why was vanilla extract sold in stores so expensive? But, that wasn’t the only surprise to hit me on this culinary adventure; there was also something called “imitation vanilla extract” available that was cheaper. Who the heck wants imitation anything? My cooking philosophy is that if you’re going to work hard to create a recipe over a hot stove, it should have authentic ingredients, be cost-effective, and allow you and your guests to taste the flavors of life to the maximum! I decided on that day to make my own extract, exactly the way I envisioned it: bursting with natural, rich, flavors.

It Takes a Bean Counter

I am a tax accountant by day and a foodie by night. I had no aspirations towards being the next big Food TV chef. All I wanted was a way to make vanilla extract that used the best ingredients while making it less expensive than that found in the stores. I was used to counting beans, so vanilla beans were no different in my mind! Soon, I was pouring over spice and liquor cost sheets. I realized that the best extract wasn’t just a result of the initial ingredients; although, that mattered greatly. It was also the result of the precise measurements used to create that recipe. In my search, I unearthed a 1995 scientific study that pinpointed that the best vanilla extract was created when the mixture was done in a 47.5% ethanol solution. This extracted 10% more vanilla flavor, and it is the recipe I strive towards when I create my own extract using the finest liquors.

Sharing the Joy

It took me over a year to perfect the recipe, but then I had another problem: Too much vanilla extract on my hands.  I decided to give it away to friends and family who raved about it and told me to sell it on eBay. I’m just not that kind of guy. I don’t want to make a commercial venture out of something I love to do and, thus, I offer it only on my private online store to keep the business small and sustainable, while sharing the joy. I will never mass produce these recipes and you can always count on them to adhere to my exacting standards.

When You Don’t Want Plain Vanilla

Even though the extracts started with vanilla flavoring, the fact is that not everyone wants a plain vanilla life. I certainly don’t. Once I figured out how to get the best extract for vanilla, I had to try other flavors. Now, I offer five other extracts, besides the ever-popular vanilla, all created with the same attention to quality and precise recipes to maximize the flavor: almond, cinnamon, coconut, lemon, and orange extracts. Please add your name to my mailing list, and you can learn about special deals for three new flavors I plan to roll out by the end of 2012. 

To all of you, from all of us at M^cFarland Home Extracts -

Thank you and Happy cooking! 

 Bruce                     

 an important guy here.