<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

A couple weeks ago I was asking about making vanilla using rum.  I was
trying to confirm that rum came from sugar cane and not grain.  Here are
most of the responses.

Thanks so much for those who responded.  I did start a batch (a pint)
using rum as I couldn't find potato vodka.  The vanilla beans were more
of a hassle to find since it was right after Christmas and most of the
local stores were sold out.  I finally found those at a health food
store in their bulk area with teas and herbs.  They were $2.00 each
which was about $1.00 cheaper than in the little Schilling bottle at the
grocery store.

Shelly

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I made vanilla with potato vodka. Just dumped the vodka in the 4-oz.
bottle, stuffed it full of vanilla beans, and waited about 3-4 months.
It definitely gets better with age ... don't know about rum status,
though I did contact Capt. Morgan rum company, and they assured me that
all their rums are GF  ...

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Bacardi white rum is made from sugar cane and is gluten free.
I use this to make my own vanilla.  Here is the recipe.

Take a pint bottle of Bacardi White Rum and take out 2 tbs.. of rum,
replace it with 2 tbs. brown sugar and 2 or 3 vanilla beans that are
split down to show the seeds.

Take a sharp knife to split the vanilla beans.  Place the beans in the
rum and close the bottle.

Shake the bottle and set it on your counter top in the kitchen.  Shake
it two or three times a day for the first week.  Once a day for the next
week and then whenever you see it, shake it.  Leave the bottle unopened
for about six weeks.  You will notice that it will turn darker and look
like vanilla.

In about six weeks you can open it and use it.  It is the best vanilla
ever!! When you open your bottle of vanilla, start another one, and then
you will always have vanilla!!

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s.

I am not sure about the rums (I think the clear ones are all from sugar
cane) but I know you can use potato vodka. That is what I use to make my
own vanilla. It is great.

In one of my cooking classes, time was spent on making your own vanilla.
It was suggested to just add good quality vanilla beans into vodka [gf,
of course], or brandy.  and just let it sit. for about 3 months.

You can also add vanilla beans to a canister of white sugar and again
let it sit on a shelf for several months.  Replenish the sugar as
needed.  Use the sugar in recipes and leave out the vanilla.

If you wanted to, you could also add vanilla beans to honey and let it
sit and infuse the honey with flavor....


White rum SHOULD be made from sugar cane and be GF.  I know that Bacardi
white rum is certainly GF. , all rums are GF.

I would suggest you to go to this other excellent site:
http://forums.delphiforums.com/celiac/messages/ There are very kind and
knowledgeable people there to answer your questions.

Moreover, I have voluntarily posted thousands of gf recipes.

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White rum should be fine. Some dark rums may have caramel coloring or
other colorants added, so you need to check with the manufacturer. Some
dark rums are naturally aged, which accounts for the color (the same
with tequila: white is safe, but dark may or may not be. Look for 100
percent agave on the label for tequila).

A helpful safe-product list can be found on several websites, including
http://www.celiac.com <http://www.celiac.com/>  which has lots of other
info and links to many other sites too.

My understanding is that clear rums are safest and are NOT made from
gluten. Some dark and flavored rums could possibly have gluten added but
still are not made from glutinous grains. Bacardi's is definitely safe.

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Your vanilla would have a run taste if you used rum as a base.  A better
choice would be vodka...read the labels. some are from gluten containing
grain, others from corn, potatoes & here is Wisconsin, even whey--a
byproduct of the cheese industry.  (A problem for those who last
milk/lactose intolerant???)

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erce

I'm not too sure on rum, but at one point, I did some checking up on
Vodka, which is supposed to be made from potatoes, but is now difficult
to find without grains.  Some bottles say "100% potato" and others say
"from the finest grains".  You can guess which I buy.  Go to your area's
fanciest liquor store, and ask.  The guys that work there know their
liquors, and talk to the distributors when they come in, so there's
probably at least one brand out there that is proud of being all sugar
cane based with no added (cheaper) grain alcohols.

On the other hand, all the chemists say that distilled grain alcohol
cannot possibly retain any traces of gluten in them anyway, so it
shouldn't matter