Where do you buy vanilla beans from?

[thermilover]

Just curious, does any one make a non-alcoholic vanilla essence?

[Wonder]

I purchase the paste from Costco and generally use this rather than extract all the time. I'll need to check the container though as I never realised that it contained sugar.

[judydawn]

I see there are plenty of non-alcohol recipes on the web thermilover but I've not heard of any of our members making anything except the alcohol version.

[achookwoman]

I was wondering if any one has zapped the beans after they have been used to make the. Essence.

[cookie1]

Nikki's suggestion is to add a couple more beans and top up the alcohol to make more  essence. As each bottle gets to about half she does this.
The beans would make a very boozy milkshake. 

[KristySpiegl]

I was wondering if any one has zapped the beans after they have been used to make the. Essence.

I add new beans to my essence and take a few of the old ones out. Then I dehydrate the old ones and put them in a big jar with some fine ground sugar and make vanilla sugar. So good on french toast!

[Cornish Cream]

Thanks for the tips KS