What do I do with all these vanilla beans???

[tennisfreak]

I have a vanilla vine with 19 groups of beans or pods. Do any of you know how I should dry them? Do I leave the pods on the vine, do I pick them off? Here is a picture from a few months ago and they look pretty much the same now.

Thanks,
Penny

[flhiker]

I have seen many seed pod in the wild but never that many in one spot. Great Job! Check out these links:
Vanilla - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Creation and Use of Vanilla

[Ray]

Assuming you're going for vanilla extract, they aren't just dried, but undergo something of a fermentation process before drying.

[Lagoon]

Wow! Look at that! Wonderful job Penny
Welcome aboard

[Dorothy]

This might give you an idea of what goes into curing vanilla beans - It's a step by step process with photos.
Vanilla planifolia
I hope this helps

[CodiMN]

Great growing Penny!

Dorothy, you are a whiz at finding helpful stuff on the web! I don't know how you do it!

[Dorothy]

It's the Indiana Jones in me ..
Oh that didn't sound right but
you know what I mean

[tennisfreak]

Thanks for all your info. Looks like I have alot of work to do!!!

Penny

[gmdiaz]

Wow! That is a great looking vanilla plant!

I just heard from the owner of Fantasy Orchids in Denver, that it takes a long time for vanilla beans to develop at all. . .that the plant has to be 25 feet long or some such.

How big is the whole plant?

How about vanilla vodka. ROLFOLOL I think you just dry the bean in a jar and then tuck it into a bottle of vodka.

I'd be more than willing to test it. . .first. lol

[Marty]

wow..congrats. Very nicely done...keep us posted on what you do with the beans