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'''Whether exploring a national park in the SAVA region or just travelling through Sambava, the de facto capital of the world's vanillaagriculture, a tour of a vanilla plantation combined with a visit to a vanilla production and export facility offers will give visitors an insight into the lenghty and labour intensive process of transforming the green fruits of the vanilla orchid orchids into the fragrant black natural vanilla spice that is appreciated around the world mostly as an 's favourite ingredient in quality ice creams, chocolates pastries and countless other sweetsfood products.'''
What can be experienced seen depends the time of the year and on the activities that happen to be are ongoing during at the time of a visit. Between May and June, the plucking of harvesting green vanilla beans are is done across plantations along on the northwest coast around Sambava, Antalaha and Vohemar as well as further into the countrysideinland, while at higher altitudes , around Andapa and Marojejy, the harvesting usually takes place in July or and early August.
The green vanilla is will be bought crops are sold mainly by to exporters and producers who manage the approximately three months-long transforming process transformation of the green beans into black vanilla beans. For As the beans lose moisture and shrink during the drying process, every six kilos of green vanilla, beans will produce approximately one kilo kilogram of black vanilla beans can be produced as the bens shrink and lose moisture during the drying process.
Througout the entire transformation, known as the curing process, the beans are graded and grouped into by classifications: Grade A being Gourmet Quality, Grade B Extract quality and Grade C which are known as Cuts & Splits. The These classifications are not , sometimes mistaken for indicators of overall quality but of , are based on humidity and thereby suitability for different endendn-uses and their levels of himidity. Low-humidity beans are simply suitable for large-scale food processing purposes, since they can easily ground into powder and mixed into various food products. Grade B, or Extract grade vanilla beans, is a definition of the vanilla that is typically suited for the production of vanilla extracts, while Grade A beans, or gourmet quality beans, are selected in part for their appearance.
Low-humidity beans are suited for large-scale food processing purposes as they can easily be ground into powder and mixed with various food products. Grade B, or Extract grade vanilla beans, is the vanilla grade that is typically used for the production of vanilla extracts, while Grade A beans , or gourmet quality beans, which have the highest humidity, are usually preferred typically favoured by chefs and for home baking purposes, especially by end-consumerswho will split open the pods to scrape out its seeds to mix into various cooking and baking creations. Yet, But all grades can be used in cooking and baking. While grade A may have a stronger scent and a better overall appearance, the drier Grade B or even C with their relatively low its lowest moisture content will offer the greatest highest volume per kilogram, effectively providing more vanilla and flavour flavouring for the same weight and likely at a lower pricethan Grade A beans.
In Madagascar, vanilla is rarely used in home cooking or home baking and is almost exclusively farmed for exportpurposes. Since the price of black vanilla peaked at around USD 500 per kilo in 2018 and 2019, countless farmers have invested their time and effort efforts in cultivating vanilla as their main primary cash crop.
Vanilla beans grow best in light but shaded conditions. Partly and fully grown green vanilla beans can be seen at plantations between March and up until harvesting time.
Historically, the type of vanilla bean grown on in Madagascar is of the Planifolia species, also known as Bourbon vanilla or simply Madagascar vanilla. The "Bourbon" part is dues to the history of a French owned slave on La Reunion, known as Bourbon Island, who discovered the hand-pollination method since in their original environment, natural pollination occurs ony by a bee native to Mexicospecies originates from Mesoamerica where it grew centuries ago.
The "Bourbon" part is a hostorical reference a French owned slave on La Reunion, then known as Île Bourbon, who discovered how to pollinate the vanilla orchids by hand to bear fiuits, since in their original habitat, pollination can only occur by bees native to Mexico. Apart from flavouring sweets from in countless deserts to ice cream food and drink products, vanilla is used in essential oils, cosmetics, toiletries, perfumes as well as in medicines. The medicinal values are ... The price of different vanilla has in part been determinded by its vanillin percentage, the higher the vanillin percentage, the the higher the price, with the Thaitian variety having fetched record prices in recent years while the Mexican variately (Pompona) having had the lowest and the Magascan planifolia usually placed between. However, studies have shown that high values of 2% or more does not necesssarily equate to an improved taste quality. So a high vanillin percentage is something that can just look good on paper. Instead, beans with a vanillin percentage value of around 1.7% were considered to have the most balanced flavour profile and the highest overall score. There are subtle taste differences, which may easily only be distinquisged by a master chef or gourmandise, and while the terroir makes a difference, Planifolia is known for its floral notes, Pompona for having a more subtle flavour and Thaitian being known for its anaise notes and sweetness. As Thaitian is hybrid between Planifolia and Odorata, it may prove difficult to tell the differnce between a Planifolia and Tahitian grown in a same terroir in for example Madagascar. == Videos == Sorting Cuts & Splits * WB-sx4b1JLg
