Slice. Pour. Shake. Wait

“This can’t be!” I cried. “We’ve run out of Tahitian Vanilla!”

So, like any reasonable foodie, off to Tahiti I went. ✈️

(Shameless Tahiti selfie.)

Sure, you can purchase vanilla in Papeete’s downtown market, Le Marché. But the absolute BEST place to buy Tahitian vanilla is the island of Taha’a, French Polynesian’s secret island.

One does not get lost on Taha’a. The 50-mile road circling the island can be traveled in a little over an hour, if the coconut crabs leave you alone. Fittingly known as Vanilla Island, Taha’a produces more than 80% of Tahiti’s world-famous spice. You can visit plantations and purchase vanilla directly from the source like I did. Situated a short few minutes’ drive from the airport, you’ll find the Vanilla House.

The Vanilla House is the perfect place to stock up on vanilla beans, vanilla-infused coffees and sugars and a variety of other unique vanilla products to take home from your travels.

Conveniently, the Vanilla House accepts both francs and U.S. dollars. Buy Tahitian vanilla beans and you’ll never look at another bean the same way again.

Later that afternoon, I boarded my flight to Bora Bora and watched Taha’a disappear into the Polynesian sunset. Night was falling, the weather was warm and I had my vanilla. Life was good. 

How to Make Vanilla Extract:

✔️ 8 ounce glass bottle or jar✔️ 7 vanilla beans✔️ 1 cup vodka 70 proof / 35% alcohol (or you can also use bourbon, rum or brandy, any brand or quality)

Step 1: SLICE. Slice each bean once long-ways and place in bottle.

Step 2: POUR. Pour one cup of vodka, rum or alcohol of your choice. (No cheating. The whole cup needs to go into the bottle.) Make sure vanilla beans are completely submerged.

Step 3: SHAKE. Shake once or twice a week. For best results, shimmy to the beat of ‘Rock Lobster’ by the B52’s.

Step 4: WAIT. Wait about 8 weeks. (Plenty of time to research oodles of scrumptious recipes!)