You can make your own flavored toothpicks at home.
Picking your teeth with a plain, unflavored toothpick can be boring, especially if you enjoy intense and vibrant flavors. You can buy flavored toothpicks at the store, but making your own is less expensive and allows you more creativity and flexibility. You are not limited to common flavors such as peppermint and cinnamon, and you can make the flavor stronger or weaker based on your personal preference. The process itself is relatively simple; with only a few minutes of actual work, you can have perfect flavored toothpicks in just a few days.
Instructions
1. Pour enough flavoring oil into the small jar to make a layer approximately 1/4-inch deep. The toothpicks do not need to lie flat and soak in this oil; the wood will draw up the oil from one end and infuse the entire toothpick with the flavor. You can use common flavors such as peppermint or cinnamon or branch out into other flavors like lemon, orange, anise or almond.
2. Place the toothpicks upright in the jar. You can use as many toothpicks as you can fit into the jar or as few as you wish to flavor. Close the jar tightly and then put it in a cool, dark place. The toothpicks will have a mild flavor after as little as two hours, a moderate flavor after approximately eight hours or overnight, and a very intense flavor if you let them soak for a day or longer. Be careful when soaking toothpicks for longer than 8 hours, as their flavor might become painfully strong and spicy.
3. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over a baking sheet. Remove the toothpicks from the jar, allowing any excess oil to drip back into the jar, then lay the toothpicks flat on the plastic-coated baking sheet. Leave the baking sheet uncovered in a warm place with good circulation to allow the toothpicks to dry. This may take up to several days. Check the toothpicks daily by touching them; they are ready when they no longer feel oily.
Tips Warnings
Your glass jar should be small enough that the toothpicks need to stand upright and cannot fall over.
You can re-use the remaining oil in the jar. Simply add more oil if necessary to bring the level back to 1/4 inch and another batch of toothpicks.
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