**Chef's Secret**

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Vanilla rum is served in many ways in Tahiti: in small punches, pastries, coffee... You can also make it yourself if you're lucky enough to find wonderful Tahitian vanilla pods: just split 5 or 6 pods in half and throw them into a bottle of rum that you'll forget about for at least a year in the cupboard before starting to use it. If you're not that patient, the simplest alternative to recapture the unique taste of Tahitian punch is to use Papua vanilla extract. Indeed, Papua is another island in Oceania that cultivates this crossbreed of the vanilla plant with its special flavor. While it doesn't completely replace the wonderful Tahitian vanilla, Papua vanilla holds its own quite well, you'll see!