Let’s be real: one vanilla bean can cost anywhere from $5 to $10. One bottle of extract with the same flavor potential costs about the same and lasts for years. So unless you are hosting the Vanilla Pope, stick with the extract for 95% of your baking. That extra $8 can buy you a pint of actual ice cream to eat while you bake. Win-win.
Another fun fact: you can make your own vanilla extract. Just buy a few beans, slit them open, drop them in a bottle of vodka (yes, vodka), and wait two months. Shake it every week. You’ll have homemade extract that’s better than anything from the store, and you can name it something ridiculous like “Bob’s Magic Pod Juice.”
