Xref: kermit rec.gardens.orchids:46738

(J. Del Col) spaketh thusly:

Home production of vanilla "beans" is wholly impractical unless one
lives in the tropics.

While I would note that the production of vanilla from the live
plant is generally an impractical effort, I don't believe it is a
necessity that one must live in a tropical climate to process the "beans."
The fruits may be "killed" either by drying in the sun or boiling (there
is a third technique that escapes me), but then may be steeped in alcohol
after being bundled and dried for several months. There are many ways to
process vanilla, all of which are energy- and time-intensive. Some
techniques are detailed in "Make Mine Vanilla" and "The Vanilla Cookbook."

More info at:
http://www.nielsenmassey.com/makingofvanilla.htm


-AJHicks
CHandler, AZ