I have a couple of crafting questions for you all: 1 I make my own homemade vanilla flavoring, with vanilla beans and vodka. Is this suitable to put in a church bake sale? I'm leaning toward yes

last update, really. Our pastor has okayed the vanilla flavoring for our bake sale! Yay!

Also, on a side note, my sister told me last night that she found directions online to make vanilla and other flavorings quickly in a pressure cooker! To me, that's just amazing.

just an update--our church women's ministry leader, and she thinks that putting the vanilla flavoring would be fine to have in our bake sale. But she hasn't checked with any health department person, so it's still something I want to make sure of. Thank you for your suggestions.

Also, I learned that you can make almond flavoring the same way, using raw skinned almonds. I'm gonna have to try that! Love almond flavoring in chocolate frosting!

2 comments

by AuntAnnie 13 Sep 2016

Yippee!

by pacmp 13 Sep 2016

I like the news you are getting so far, glad you are checking to be sure. Laws from one country to another change immensely, and even state to state and city to city can vary greatly, so it is always good to check things to be sure. Fingers crossed. Pam

You do not want to use the word "flavoring" as they use that description on the imitation brands, you want similar to what Aunt Annie mentioned Homemade vanilla extract, Ingredients listing what proof the alcohol was- generally would have been 35-50% proof alcohol, vanilla bean scrapings, aged for x number of months or bottled in June 2016, or whenever you had started the procedure. I do not think you should use the fake UPS code though. Also before you go any further into this project, because of the alcohol content, I would first check with the bureau over alcohol sales and then also make a call to your health inspector of the county you live in, if you live here in the states, as they too may know the answer about whether or not this would even be permitted. Only if those reports came back OK would I venture any further, as it would likely fall under the sale of alcohol, though if you are not able to use them at the holiday fairs, your homemade bottles of extracts would make wonderful gifts. If they do say it is OK to sell them, then go ahead and check with the church you are thinking of selling them during their craft sale. If there is any concern, you could just have one of your little brown bottles as a sample or even just with water in it, and have business cards with the extract info and your name, phone number and business info, so people can call you to purchase it from you, but only if it is OK through those other agencies. Though I am leaning toward doubting that you would be permitted to sell the extract because of it being alcohol and the laws that pertain to selling any alcohol, especially the hard liquors, then compound that by the rules in selling food items to the public and the Health inspector requirements. We have a good friend who is a county health inspector that we can ask in a couple days once he is back from taking his daughters back to college, if you would like me to ask, just let me know. As this is a fairly easy process to do, I think we would already have seen extracts being sold this way years ago if it would have been permitted. Hope I am wrong. I too would love to create some of my own homemade extracts or use them for gifts. Let me know if you need me to check with our friend. Pam

2 comments

by AuntAnnie 12 Sep 2016

Interesting... Although a liquor license is not required nor is there an age requirement for a grocery store to sell vanilla extract. Also, how many church bazaars have a requirement of a health inspection requirement for the sale of home-baked goods?

by pacmp 12 Sep 2016

I doubt churches would require health inspection for sales of items at their craft fairs, though I know different churches do have guidelines they are asked to follow. The weekly street fair in our area, the people who provide food items at their booths, they do have requirements and certification they must meet. I just don't know what the rules would require unless I talked to our friend and found out more, I am not sure where those lines are drawn of who can do what and any regulations for the alcohol, I just thought it likely should be looked into before she invested too much time, money, etc in creating a wonderful product that likely most here would love to have, but if it broke laws, I would hate for her to be in any trouble which was why I suggested to just make sure, I also thought more that the health inspector would likely know the answer and be easier to get in contact with than trying to read through all the alcohol laws and rules that were online, most of which would not even apply in this case. She should know those answers for herself in case someone either from the church or from patrons coming through the craft fair were to ask her. Hopefully I am just thinking through it deeper than need be and I do hope that they would give her the green light to go ahead, but it is much better to be safe than sorry. Pam

Even if the church does not feel it is appropriate, use it for gifts. Who wouldn't love any homemade extract! I have vanilla and cinnamon happily marinating. And now I would love to make sewmum's suggestions of strawberry and orange.

What a good idea. I have some orange and a strawberry extract in my pantry I have made. Sooo good.
You have some very good suggestion already, but I would also make a query with the church as some churches would not condone the selling of anything with alcohol in it, even if it was made with the best of intentions.

All pure extracts contain alcohol...whether home made or commercially produced. If you are going to sell this, I would make sure to include the ingredients as exactly what they are...you don't necessarily have to say "Vodka"...but you should disclose the actual ingredients...here is the statement from McCormick's Pure Vanilla Extract:
McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract: Ingredients

Vanilla bean extractives in water,
alcohol (35%),
and corn syrup.

Hope this helps you!

I would be sure it says includes alcohol, so parents will keep out of reach of the kiddies.

Go for it, parkermom! I'm sure it will be a quick sell. However, the word "Pure" may not be appropriate on the label. Name it for what it actually is: "Homemade Vanilla Extract." You may wish to add the year and town/state where it was brewed to the label in a smaller font and possibly a "fake" UPC code, too.

Extracts all have alcohol. They list "alcohol" and not the type. They are the common varieties from the regular grocery stores. Pure Vanilla Extract (almond, etc.)

Sorry--I hit submit before I said thank you! Thank you all.