10 Gourmet Vanilla Beans 17-18cm

The essentials to know about our vanilla Originally from Mexico, vanilla was already cultivated 1000 years ago by the Totonacs, an Amerindian people from the east coast of Mexico! It was brought back to Europe by the conquistador Cortes at the same time as cocoa beans. Until 1830 Mexico retained a monopoly on them because they could only be fertilized by native bees. On this date, a Belgian botanist developed a technique of manual pollination, a technique still used today! Later France decided to send him to Reunion to enjoy the climate of the Indian Ocean and then to Madagascar in 1880. From its scientific name Vanila planifolia, vanilla is the fruit of a tropical orchid that looks like a vine and bears bouquets of green-yellow flowers. The flowers are therefore fertilized by hand, which partly explains the price of this exceptional product. The quality criteria of a vanilla "pod" relate to length, color, appearance and smell. Once picked green, a whole 4-step process begins to arrive at its final shape: :this technique consists of soaking the green "pods" in water heated in a tank over an open fire and then immediately placing them in boxes padded with blankets to retain the heat. It is this step that causes the browning of the pods : then the pods are immediately placed in boxes padded with blankets to keep the heat for 24 to 48 hours Slow drying: The objective of drying is obviously to stabilize the product to prevent the development of microorganisms and in particular mold. The water content of the pods gradually decreases by around 85%. Conventionally, they are spread out on blankets, on racks in the sun, for part of the day. After a few hours of exposure, the vanilla is rolled in the blankets, and these are put in a pile under cover until the next day. The operation is repeated daily. Complete drying takes two to three months. Refining: This is the last stage which consists of maturing in a trunk for several months. The dried "pods" are gathered into bundles. This step can be compared to the aging of a wine or the ripening of a cheese, because an evolution in the aromatic quality of the product takes place during this period. The benefits Vanilla has many virtues: Anti-stress: The effect of vanilla is said to be analogous to that of chocolate in reducing anxiety. slows down aging: Rich in phenols, vanilla slows down cellular aging and therefore has a beneficial role in the maintenance of the skin, hair and nails. Replaces sugar: naturally sweet, the vanilla pod will therefore help you reduce the amount of sugar added to your desserts while flavoring them pleasantly. Low in calories: relatively low in energy compared to the quantities used in cooking, vanilla can be used to flavor preparations without adding as many calories as chocolate for example. How to keep it The vanilla bean can be stored away from heat (the ideal temperature is between 15 and 20°), humidity and light: In a glass container. This is why TDV has opted for the glass tube guaranteeing good preservation (for information, avoid cork stoppers which promote the development of mold). In a tin: if you have a small stock of vanilla, group them tightly against each other like a small bundle, wrap them ideally with paraffin paper but parchment will do just fine. Finally, place them in an iron box. You will see that they will keep wonderfully! Another tip: take an airtight container and put some sugar in the bottom. Scatter the pods upright in the jar, you can keep them for a very long time and it will make you a delicious vanilla sugar as a bonus! Under these conditions, you can keep the vanilla for 1 year without it degrading. In reality, it can keep much longer but it will dry out little by little. Other preservation methods: the refrigerator which degrades the quality of the pod freezing soaked in a rum stock...unless you want to make a homemade vanilla extract!