Why is vanilla flavor white and vanilla extract black ?
The vanilla bean is green when picked but turns a dark brown by the time it dried and processed, which usually takes at least 6 months. Although the bean itself has many uses, it is the thousands of tiny seeds inside of the bean that is most potent and frequently used. You slice the bean(pod) with a knife down the center in order to open the bean without cutting it in half. You can then scrape the seeds from the pod, a little will go a long way. It is quite expensive, so make sure not to waste. It will have a sticky, pasty appearance. When ice cream is made with real vanilla you can usually see specks of dark brown in the ice cream. You can make vanilla extract by soaking the pods in vodka for a log period of time. I’m not sure how long, that is beyond my knowledge and experience.
