[Sca-cooks] vanilla beans

[Christina L Biles]

I said:
> If the bean is fresh,

Stefan said:
>>>What do you mean by "fresh"?

A "fresh" bean, in the world according to me, looks greasy and smells
strongly.  It hasn't been sitting in a sugar jar for months, nor have I
used it even once to flavor a food or beverage.  An older, or previously
used, bean won't be as redolent nor as slick.

>>>Would this flavoring technique work on Splenda?

I don't know.  I've never used Splenda, but I ?think? that it would absorb
strong flavors and scents the way sugar does.  It's a strange non-caloric
sugar derivative, right?

>>And from my
experience with "snow" and a few mint leaves, I suspect that
mint would easily flavor granulated sugar.

Yep.  A single sprig of young leaves, picked early in the day, will flavor
and scent a spaghetti jar of sugar for months.  (where you replace the
sugar as you use it.)  Mint sugar goes exceptionally well with tea, or
sugar cookies, or cake, or lemonade, or...  ;>

-Magdalena d.C.