![]() ![]() The part of vanilla we use - the bean or pod - grows on climbing vines on farms where they are painstakingly pollinized and harvested by hand. The vanilla used in extracts and flavorings comes from the beans of the flowering orchid Vanilla planifolia.īourbon vanilla (the kind grown in Madagascar) has a rich, creamy and sweet profile, and is bursting with seeds high in vanillin - the organic compound that gives it its classic flavor. Nearly 80 percent of the world’s vanilla supply is grown in Madagascar, a biodiversity hotspot known for its rare and unique wildlife. Straight from the Source - Where Does Real Vanilla Come From? So where exactly does vanilla come from? And how can you ensure you’re getting a quality product when there are so many options (and imitators) to choose from? And read your labels carefully: some products also tout themselves as “all-natural,” but include genetically modified ingredients. In Madagascar, where Simply Organic vanilla is grown, organic vanilla accounts for less than 15% of the total vanilla supply. Depending on where the beans come from, it can impart floral or fruity notes, creaminess or even hints of smoke.īut not all vanilla is created equal - especially when it comes to purity. On its own, organic vanilla has a complex and expressive flavor with an equally lovable aroma. You can have vanilla without chocolate - but without vanilla, chocolate ice cream, pudding or cake wouldn’t have the same drool-worthy OOMPH that makes them so irresistible. Just how salt enhances other flavors, vanilla gives sweet, rich or fatty ingredients added depth and dimension. Organic vanilla’s magic works by bringing out the best in your other ingredients. #Where does vanilla come from how toBut have you ever wondered where it comes from?ĭive into our Guide to discover the extraordinary origins of this transformative ingredient - and learn how to select the right product for your baking stash. "Sustainability is absolutely important, to the land, for making a quality product and for bettering the community," he says.Vanilla is a cooking staple found in nearly every kitchen. His company buys vanilla directly from small growers and provides sustainable farming education and other support programs. He grew up in Papua New Guinea and has dedicated his career to supporting the communities that produce it. Growing vanilla in an environmentally responsible way that supports farmers is important to ensure the future of the crop and meet global demand, says Dan Edmiston, founder of Native Vanilla. But in 2015, Nestlé, General Mills and other major food companies vowed to remove artificial flavors (including vanillin) from their U.S.-sold products, which raised demand for the real stuff. Most vanilla flavoring in food products-as much as 99%-comes from artificial vanillin derived from petrochemicals, wood pulp or other sources. While climate change threatens supply, our own appetite for more natural ingredients in food products has upped demand. Story continues What is vanilla extract made of? ![]() ![]() "Because there are very few places that produce it, one natural disaster can have a big impact on the supply chain," Jentsch says. In the past decade, tropical storms have battered many of Madagascar's vanilla plantations, at one point causing the price per kilo to increase tenfold. But the price can fluctuate widely, influenced by forces of nature and changing demand. It's no wonder, then, that pure vanilla carries such a high price tag (it's the second-most expensive spice after saffron, and about the same cost ounce-for-ounce as silver). "Curing incorrectly can either lead to an unusable bean or a reduction in quality and size that would make it worth significantly less." Even when everything goes well, as little as 10% of the green beans may turn into usable vanilla. "It's a long process and difficult to do," he says. Beans are green when picked and have to be cured, a process than can take up to two months, explains Max Jentsch, the chief operating officer of Native Vanilla, a company that grows and sells fair-trade vanilla products. Processing vanilla isn't much easier than growing it. The Tahitian kind, for instance, contains fewer vanillins-the compounds responsible for its flavor-giving it a more subtle vanilla taste with sweet floral notes. They taste similar, with slight variations. pompona, often found in Central and South America. Vanilla planifolia, the species used in most commercial vanilla production, is what you may know as Madagascar (or sometimes Bourbon) vanilla, although it's also grown in Mexico, Papua New Guinea and other equatorial countries around the globe. What is vanilla and where does it come from? ![]()
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