Vanilla, all about this product

Vanilla is a plant of the orchid family which develops as lianas. Originally from Mexico, like cocoa, vanilla made a long trip before arriving in the islands of the Indian Ocean, especially in Madagascar, where due to a climate and favorable weather conditions, the best quality of vanilla is cultivated. Vanilla has the particularity of being hermaphrodite! And yes, the vanilla flower has male and female reproductive organs and could be fertilized, unfortunately, only by insects from Mexico. However, in 1841, a young slave named Edmond Albius discovers that it can be fertilized manually, by bringing together the male and female organs. Since the man proceeds to fertilize the vanilla manually, flower by flower. Unfortunately, the vanilla blossom, hatches at night and dies in the morning, fertilization is therefore at dawn and vanilla pods must be picked up still green. Otherwise, it explodes and all the aromatic seeds are lost.
To get to the black pod we know, the vanilla goes through a relatively complex and long process (which can last one year!).

Vanilla process :
Scalding: still green vanilla pods are immersed in a bath of warm water at 63 degrees for 3 minutes.
The parboiling: they are then placed, twelve to forteen hours, between woolen blankets. Keeping them warm, they lose their water and dries to a dark chocolate color.
Drying: once steaming is done, the vanilla pods are dried, a few hours a day, first in the oven, then in the sun and finally in the shade.

Refining:

Vanilla beans are placed in wooden boxes and inspected frequently. This allows the vanilla to develop its aroma and remove any moldy pods.
To keep as long as possible, it is recommended to store it in a jar, in glass, in the dry and in the shade. Of course, vanilla brings a delicious scent to your dishes, but it is also an element filled with benefits. In addition to its carbohydrate intake, vanilla helps with digestion and acts as an anti-stress. Did you know that in Latin America, vanilla is famous mainly for its aphrodisiac properties.

Use of vanilla:
Well known for its aroma, vanilla is one of the most used spices. It perfumes sweet dishes as well as salty dishes. To use it, you simply need to split the pod in half, in the direction of the length, and with the tip of a knife to recover the seeds. You can macerate the pods in oil to get a scented oil or sugar to design your own vanilla sugar. Biscuits, ice creams, creams, cakes, jams .... What possibilities with this product, Sambavanilla offers you this product of exception and quality! We select what is best to satisfy you.