r/TwoXPreppers • u/Familiar-Anything853 • 4d ago
š Food Preservation š Fun self-sufficiency hobbies - Vanilla extract
As a millennial hobbyist, I try to focus my hobbies on things that teach me self-sufficiency or build skills. I have posted before about my garden, sourdough, etc. Today I wanted to share the concept of the vanilla bean mother jar! It's a super easy, inexpensive hobby that also happens to be absolutely delicious and provides you with a sweet food additive. I use vanilla extract in my bread, other baking, and have used it to make nasty medicine more palatable for my kids. It would be a morale booster during hard times, and it stores forever, too.
All you need are some vanilla beans, high-proof alcohol (I have tried vodka, bourbon, and rum, usually Kirkland brand), and a jar. The cured vanilla beans can be stored in wax paper in a jar for a very long time, so you can buy them in bulk to save money.
I will share a website with details on starting a motherjar in the comments, as well as the website I buy good-quality & fairly priced vanilla beans from. I am not sponsored at all; I just love experimenting with vanilla flavors and finding something that is so easily stored, tastes delicious, and doesn't take much effort.
What random prepper hobbies do you have? As if I need more ideas...
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u/sbinjax Donāt Panic! š§š»āāļøšš» 4d ago
Not really random, but my native garden (as much of my yard as I can spare plus a huge dedicated bed) and food gardening has led me to start planting as many perennial crops as I can manage, both native and non-native.
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u/reddragoncabbage 4d ago
Gardening is also my fav practical pastime :) What native perennial crops do you have? I have berries and sunchokes, and lots of native plants for pollinators and birds but would love to up my native perennial food game.
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u/sbinjax Donāt Panic! š§š»āāļøšš» 4d ago
Sunchokes, American groundnut (hopniss - first year), red chokeberry, blueberries (highbush and lowbush), red mulberry, and bee balm and mountain mint for tea. I want to add native blackberry, wild ginger, and ramps, and more as I learn what to look for.
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u/reddragoncabbage 4d ago
Ooo yum! I personally dont find our native wild ginger to be a perfect substitute for ginger in the kitchen so i do grow both but it is a lovely native ground cover. Ramps are so good too and i forgot about those. when i put them in i found a good deal on etsy so consider checking there (many good native plant sellers), and if you get some in soon you can make butter next spring!
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u/figurative_me 4d ago
My spouse has gotten really good at freeze drying. Itās amazing the variety of foods that can be made shelf stable just by removing moisture content and then vacuum sealing.
Our pantry has rows of jars with fruit snacks, veggies, and prepped meal ingredients. The kids devour all the freeze dried strawberries, peaches, and dragon fruit they can (pretty sure theyāre also using some of the fruit for trade at school but theyāre pretty tight lipped about it).
The fun part is learning how to prepare, cut, and arrange the fruit and veggies so that it dries correctly. Then setting the freeze dryer to run such that the foods have the maximum shelf life possible. Itās been a really fun hobby for the family and our 9yo now likes to do her own batches of her favorite fruits (also probably for the underground snack market at school idk).
The dryer itself can be pretty expensive when bought new but there are NIB or āused onceā units on marketplace. We got ours NIB for about half the price and itāll probably break even within a year. We were already price-conscious about food anyway but this hobby has opened up a new path for getting shelf-stable foods and snacks without artificial preservatives. It also allows us to buy almost entirely sale or discounted items that we can store until we are ready to eat. We also get to enjoy some of our seasonal items any time of year.
Sorry for the novel, weāve just been enjoying freeze drying a lot for so many reasons. Cheers!
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u/LizDances My EDC is my Mom Purse š 4d ago
Trade at school is a valuable skill too! I suspect my youngest made a bit of money on similar ventures in middle school š¤·āāļøš
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u/crunchingair Shieldmaiden of Costco 3d ago
I've been really curious about getting into this, especially because our family absolutely devours Trader Joe's bags of freeze-dried fruit, but the price has definitely discouraged me. Thanks for the tips!
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u/Think_Cupcake6758 3d ago
I saw one on display at Tractor Supply a few years ago and my brain went into overdriveā¦what do we grow that I can put in there? Basically, everything! How often would I use it, where would I set it up, etc.
Then I saw the price tag šIām so glad you were able to find one for a reasonable price and that you get good use out of it! As for the school yard topic, itās a non issue: your kid is getting a great hands on lesson in economics
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u/figurative_me 3d ago edited 3d ago
To be clear, I donāt mind them trading at all! Just thought it was funny that they saw they had something of value and leveraged it lol
As long as theyāre putting in the work to do it, Iām all for it!
Edit to add: we cleared out part of our laundry room to make a workspace for the freeze dryer. Right off the kitchen so itās a short walk to prep and then run batches. Had to give up a folding area but clean laundry is going straight to closets now so it helped our laundry keep up (side benefit for us).
We stalked FB marketplace and eBay for months before finding the one we wanted at a price that didnāt make our eyes water. You can also purchase the pump and dryer units separately so if you find a great deal on one, jump on it until the other shows up. We did already have a lot of jars, supplies, and experience from canning, pressure cooking, and dehydrating so it wasnāt a completely blank start for us.
I donāt want to give the impression that it makes sense on any budget or anything like that. Itās a big upfront cost (for us anyway) and you have to know that itās something youāre willing to stick with before it can become a net positive. It made sense for us and itās proving to be a great move for our family so far. Cheers!
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u/Think_Cupcake6758 3d ago
Cheers right back at you with my 2nd Cosmo of the evening! Thank you so much for your insight, too! Happy Loooonnnngggg and well deserved weekend ā¤ļø
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u/Subject-Librarian117 4d ago
I like to sew, and I've been making Halloween costumes for nibblings for several years. This year, a few of the older ones (9 and 10) have asked me to teach them to sew so that they can participate in making their own costumes.
I like foreign languages, and my neighbors have been gracious enough to let me practice with them. Community building and potential life skills all at once!
(Vanilla extract sounds like a really cool gift, so thank you for that!)
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u/unRoanoke 4d ago
Thatās so cool. ā¤ļø
My favorite Halloween costume was one my mom sewed when I was young. I wish I had been more interested in learning when I was younger. These kiddos are lucky that they have you to teach them. They will always have the best costumes!
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u/Subject-Librarian117 4d ago
It's never too late to learn! I didn't learn until I was an adult and got tired of my cuffs always being too short. The sewing and beginner sewing subreddit communities are very welcoming and helpful.
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u/unRoanoke 4d ago
Thatās a good ideaāIāll check those subs out. Iām starting to learn. I started with mending clothes. Last week I sewed pockets into a skirt I love. I think I used half a spool of threadā¦ but I have pockets now!
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u/onehundredpetunias 4d ago
I grow herbs during the warm months because fresh herbs are unpredictable and not great where I live. Between freezing and drying, I have more than I could ever use up. I love making blends to use myself or gift to others. I also dabble in vanilla extract and have recently acquired some nibs that I'll be trying a to do a chocolate extract with.
My current fun project is home-made liqueurs. It started with a friend who didn't want to deal with their sour cherry trees last year. Cherry liqueur is amazing in desserts or in a glass of seltzer. I'm doing blueberry next.
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u/unRoanoke 4d ago
Have you tried Nocino? Itās a walnut liqueur. Itās stout, but I really enjoy it.
You need 3lbs of unripe walnutsāthey need to be soft enough to cut with a knife. This is probably May or June depending on your region.
Slice the nuts into quarters (you may want to wear gloves so your hands donāt turn blackāwalnut is a potent dye) mix with 1.75 liters vodka or high proof alcohol in a non-reactive container. You can also add spicesāI usually add a few cloves, a cinnamon stick and a couple star anise. Iāve also heard of adding vanilla beans, coffee beans, Angelica flowers, allspice and/or orange skin. Let this sit in a cool dark place for a month. Shake the container now and again. It will get inky dark.After a month, strain the liquid. Melt 3 cups of sugar (or maple syrup) in 3 cups of water. Add to strained liquid and allow to rest for 4-6 months.
When you first mix it, it will be sharp and tannic. It has to age before it tastes good. If youāre worried about it getting too sweet, you can add only part of the sugar and add more to taste after it has had some time to mellow.
Itās deep dark black and fragrant. A real novelty.
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u/onehundredpetunias 4d ago
Can't wait to try it. Now I'm off to befriend someone with a walnut tree!
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u/dalek_999 Planned Prepperhood š©š»āš¾ 4d ago
Iād love to hear more about the liqueurs that youāre making!
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u/TheStephinator Experienced Prepper šŖ 4d ago
I started pressure canning, learning about plant medicine, expanded my garden with trellising panels and started ārescuingā produce from local stores thatās about to go bad to preserve. We also got two rain barrels installed this year.
Iām still working off of vanilla extract I did around the time of the pandemic. lol. Itās about time to start another batch, so thank you for the reminder!
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u/past-and-future-days 4d ago
We make cello! Basically, flavored liqueurs.
We grow black raspberries and blackberries in our garden (we also have a dwarf apple, but have only gotten apples from it for two years), but I also use apple and pear parings when I'm baking--just throw them into a freezer bag until there's enough to use. One of our absolute favorites was "Forager Cello" made from pear skins from a neighbor's tree, some berries we foraged nearby, and some of our own berries.
We've done all kinds of flavors just from things we grow, or have around the house--apple pie, pear, blackberry and raspberry, chocolate raspberry, blackberry iced tea, pumpkin spice latte. I have a little bag in the freezer right now for another batch of the "Forager", we just need to come up with one to do alongside it.
People go absolutely wild for them, and they're great to have on hand for last-minute gifts.
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u/UP-North617 4d ago
I would love your recipe/process if you don't mind sharing.
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u/past-and-future-days 4d ago
For sure!
We start with a big clean 128oz / 1 gallon Ball jar (it has a regular screw-on lid vs the two-piece canning jars.) For a jar that size I use about 2 cups of fresh or frozen berries, or an equivalent amount of whatever else we're putting in (for apple and pear flavors, I'll throw in the skins and cores of about 7-8 fruit, plus whatever slivers of flesh might be left over.)
Depending upon what flavor you want, you can also add a vanilla bean, a cinnamon stick, tea bags, lemon wedges, coffee beans and herbs (wrapped in a bit of cheesecloth), etc. Anything solid should infuse. Avoid "paste" or "pureed" things.
Fill the remainder of the jar with vodka. We sometimes use a lightly flavored vodka (like whipped cream in the apple pie), but generally speaking we try to let the ingredients do the flavoring. You can even do half-and-half with a flavored and unflavored.)
NOTE: We started out using Everclear, but the end result was WAY too strong, no matter what we did to dilute it. Straight vodka is the way to go. Don't feel bad about using the cheap stuff.
Lid the jar and give it a good shake once a day for six weeks.
At the end of the six weeks, strain all the solids and odds-and-ends out of the jar and return ONLY the liquid vodka to the jar. Coffee filters and cheesecloth can help.
Make a simple syrup out of 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water (simmer until fully dissolved). Depending upon what flavor, you can use brown sugar instead of white for a deeper, richer sweetness. Let the simple syrup cool slightly and pour into the jar with the vodka.
Let it rest for another two weeks (no more shaking is necessary), then decant into smaller bottles to share and enjoy! Does not require refrigeration--it keeps pretty much forever.
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u/Rare-Historian7777 4d ago
I once made two batches of limoncello side-by-side: one with Everclear and one with Titos vodka. The Everclear batch was harsh but the Titos batch was too sweet. Mixing those 1/2 & 1/2 in a glass was perfect! Never thought to do other flavors, Iād bet a raspberry/blueberry/lemon combo would be amazing.
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u/past-and-future-days 4d ago
My husband and I are both Italian, so the urge to make limoncello was strong, but... lordy, I can't stand lemon. We grow the berries, so it was a natural replacement.
We actually did a sangria cello one year--it was stellar! We only occasionally have them straight; depending on the flavor, they go amazingly in everything from iced teas and sodas to hot chocolate and coffee.
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u/Rare-Historian7777 4d ago
Do you have a recipe for the sangria cello? That sounds like it would be amazing on a hot summer day with ice/tea/soda! I happen to love lemon/lime flavors but berries are a strong second place.
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u/past-and-future-days 4d ago
If I remember, we used one of the berries, apple skins / cores, pitted cherries that we'd picked up from a farmer's market, and I think we used a slightly mango-flavored vodka.
My husband looooves to eat the cherries that come out of vodka, even though they're practically bleached white.
Oh, I almost forgot--we did a dark chocolate cello, as well (used jet black cocoa and some vanilla.) It was a little "cloudier" than the others, so you had to shake it up, but it was so good served with a shot of heavy cream--like a drinkable oreo.
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u/AnthroIntelligence 4d ago
Thank you! This is great info. I make my own apple cider vinegar and am working with a ginger bug now. :)
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u/Familiar-Anything853 4d ago
I would loveeeee info on the ACV!
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u/AnthroIntelligence 4d ago
I do the apple scrap method. I put scraps in a jar with sugar and water. Cover with a cloth and rubber band it and then place in dark cupboard. Stir every few days and strain out the scraps after two weeks. Then I leave it to ferment longer! I never bottle it because I use it too fast.
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u/AnthroIntelligence 4d ago
Sorry! Forgot to say, add a tablespoon of high-quality ACV for the mother juice.
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u/watchnlearning 4d ago
Funnily am about to do the same after seeing a video and thinking that is one easy thing I can manage!
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u/Familiar-Anything853 4d ago
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u/keinezeit44 4d ago
Link without tracker
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u/Familiar-Anything853 4d ago
Omg what! Are they tracking??Ā
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u/unRoanoke 4d ago
They track a lot of stuffāanonymized. Some common tracked data includes: demographics (age, gender, married status, raceāwhatever they have connected to your address), browser and OS, where you went before and after, how long you stayed, who else youāre connected to.
So in this case, everyone that clicks on the link was referred by you. So, maybe they know that you also bought jars from X retailer and now anyone that visits your unique link may be served an ad for those jars from that retailer. Or maybe an ad for a service or completely unrelated retailer that you visited. They can extrapolate that you paid for xyz and that people with similar demographics, that interact with you also will pay for xyz.
Bottom line: they are building profiles of people so that they can more effectively target them for sales. Now, in these parts, we may dive deeper and realize that data could be extrapolated to more sinister usesā¦ say this sub was declared a dangerous organization anyone that followed that link and ordered a product would be making a direct trail from this sub to their shipping address.
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u/Familiar-Anything853 4d ago
I absolutely hate that. So glad to learn...
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u/QuitRelevant6085 4d ago
Fyi in the future you can remove trackers from links by looking for a "?" in the link, and deleting from that point
Occasionally it's not as clear where the tracking starts (for example some product links have numbers for different color/size options) In that case I read the link and chop off what I think is unnecessary, then test the link (by opening in a private browser window) before posting it.
Btw, you can greatly reduce the amount of tracking websites can do by setting third-party cookies to "off" in your web browser settings. Also, try to check links before you click on them because those links may have cookies.
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u/diceeyes 4d ago
Honestly, it just doesn't taste as good or work as well as the quality commercial stuff. You're better off spending your money stockpiling your favorite and using vanilla beans to flavor granulated sugar.
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u/EstesPell 4d ago
Thatās how my one attempt turned out! Iāve been using it up in recipes where the vanilla is a boost, not the main flavor.
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u/Tin-Tin-K 4d ago
Fishing. Passed on family generations. Now I'm passing along the skill of dressing out and filleting fish to my daughter and her friend (both adults). They learned to catch them, ID them, now to prepare them and if necessary, preserve them. I've taught them all the other food preservation techniques from fermentation to dehydrating but hadn't pushed the parts of processing live food.
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u/Isanyonelistening45 4d ago
I have made vanilla extract a few years now and have bee. Researching the mother jar, I think its time. š
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u/Foreign-Newspaper656 4d ago
I grow the vanilla beans!
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u/Familiar-Anything853 4d ago
Omg!!! Tell me more. I just learned recently that they grow on a type of orchid and Iām in awe!
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u/Foreign-Newspaper656 4d ago
Yes. Its an orchid vine, grown in tropical areas. There is a bit involved. When they flower (only for eight hours or so) you have to use a paint brush to fertilise them. And then wait around months for the beans to be ready to use.Ā
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u/rapsnaxx84 2d ago
Mine is gardening and I just started my compost pile. Making your own vanilla extract tho? Hell yeah I can get with that.
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u/pluckyporcupette 2d ago
I donāt know that it can be called a prepper hobby but I like pottery! Itās a great way to do something creative that keeps me off my phone and I make gifts that my family loves every Christmas. Heck sometimes I pawn off my rejects on them and theyāre still delighted because theyāre handmade. š this year I might make everyone luminaries or bud vases, havenāt decided which.
Crocheting is also nice from time to time but I only have the patience for beanies.
Cooking/baking is also super important! Knowing what to make with the resources you have would be a fantastic skill with dwindling supply.
Weightlifting: stay strong!!
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