Vanilla

My vanilla extract has been ready for a few weeks now, and I've been racking my brain trying to think of the best way to showcase it. Much like bitters in a cocktail, vanilla is often a background flavour, bringing other flavours together into a unified whole without always making its presence acutely felt. What's more, when vanilla is the star of the show, I often find the dish - or, worse, candle or bath product - to be cloying and unpleasant.

Not tonight, though. I was in the mood for something warm and comforting and, eschewing my normal inclination toward hot toddies, steamed some milk and mixed in a half teaspoon of the vanilla extract. It really added that little extra something to the pre-bedtime mug of warm milk.

I think I'm going to like having my own vanilla extract on hand.