Bourbon vanilla

Bourbon vanilla is not just a variety, it is a mark of excellence created in 1964. It refers exclusively to Vanilla Planifolia grown in the south-west of the Indian Ocean.

Our vanilla comes from the lush, volcanic soils of Madagascar, where the humid tropical climate offers ideal growing conditions. Each flower is pollinated by hand with the precision of a jeweller, an ancestral skill passed down from generation to generation.

What makes Bourbon vanilla special

Among the dozens of vanilla species, Bourbon stands out for its unique aromatic profile, often considered the absolute benchmark in French pastry.

Features

Aromatic profile: Intense, pure vanilla, with notes of cocoa and caramel.

Vanillin content: The highest in the world.

Ideal use: Slow cooking, custards, cakes, ice cream.

Why is Bourbon vanilla unique?

What makes Bourbon vanilla so special is its curing. After harvest, the pods are scalded, then go through a long sweating period in wooden crates, followed by drying in the sun and the shade.

This process, which takes several months, allows the development of natural vanillin, the magical compound that gives that warm, woody, balsamic taste found nowhere else.

Did you know?

It takes roughly 5 to 7 kg of green vanilla to obtain just 1 kg of cured Bourbon vanilla. It is this patience and this loss of volume that make this spice such a precious, luxurious product.

• Lay the pod flat on a board. Using the tip of a knife, split it lengthwise in two. Gently open the edges and carefully scrape the inside with the back of the blade to collect the precious black seeds.
• If the pod is too long, you can cut it in two and keep the other half. The most important thing is to store it in an airtight place so it does not dry out.

Do not throw away the pod after removing the seeds: you can use it to make vanilla sugar or infusions. Find our recipes in the Recipes section

A quality pod should stay supple and plump. Here is how to keep it from drying out.

Vanilla has three enemies: air, light and temperature swings.

• The container: Keep your pods in an airtight glass tube or a tightly closed tin jar. The goal is to limit contact with oxygen as much as possible.
• The place: A cool, dry cupboard (between 15°C and 20°C), away from direct sunlight.

Absolutely avoid:

The refrigerator: Cold sets the essential oils and can cause condensation marks (not to be confused with the natural vanillin frost).

Cork stoppers: Tubes with cork stoppers encourage mould to develop on the pod.

Open air: Your pod would become brittle and lose its aroma within a few days.

• A note on frost: If small white crystals appear on your pods after a few months, do not throw them away! This is the vanillin frost, a sign of exceptional quality and a high concentration of aroma.