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Vanilla is the world’s most popular flavor, the most complex aroma and the second most labor-intensive crop. The smooth and rich aroma of vanilla is the fruit of a year and a half of cultivation and curing. |
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Left untouched, a vanilla flower will bloom, wilt and die… all in 1 day! Enter vigilant farmer. Farmers wake at dawn to search for the short-lived bloom of vanilla orchids. When a blooming flower is spotted, a petal is removed, a flap is carefully uncovered and pollen and receptor are squeezed together… not too hard, not too soft. The flower is pollinated!
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Ripe vanilla beans develop narrow yellow strips, showing they’re ready for harvest. Harvesting must be done selectively by hand because vanilla beans do not all ripen at the same time. Like many of our most treasured foods – wine, chocolate, coffee – vanilla beans must be cured to unlock their potential. |
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Scalding & Nap – Green vanilla beans are immersed in scalding hot water before they’re hurriedly wrapped in a blanket and placed in a wooden crate. This brief process, done with precision, is critical to a successful curing process. |
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Sun Tan & Sauna – The day after their hot bath, the vanilla beans are soft, moist and light brown. Farmers place the beans on traditional mats under the heat of the sun for a few hours each day. After each “tanning”, the beans are wrapped in blankets to “sweat” until the next day! |
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To the Racks! – Similar to fine wine, vanilla needs time to realize its full potential. Placed on wooden racks in a cool area out of direct sunlight, vanilla beans are left to develop their deep, rich aroma. |
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Vanilla beans must be sorted according to size, moisture content and use. Gourmet vanilla beans should be dark brown and moist, while beans used for vanilla extract have reddish strips and are slightly drier. Either way, premium vanilla takes 1.5 years to cultivate and cure… but all the care is what makes it so special! |
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