MADAGASCAR BLACK BOURBON GRADE A: GOURMET Size: 14 cm to 17 cm Moisture: 32% - 35% Vanilin content: 1.5% - 2.2% Type: natural fresh bean Country of origin: Madagascar Shelf-life: 2 years Birth of a Precious Spice "Discover the allure of Gourmet Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans. Handpicked from the lush fields of Madagascar, our Grade A vanilla pods offer an unparalleled flavor profile. Elevate your culinary creations and unlock a world of flavors with the richness of our gourmet vanilla beans." Vanilla processing 1. Growing vanilla Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla is a unique vanilla plantation that thrives in a tropical climate with balanced humidity and fertile soils. The farmers use a hand-pollination technique to ensure precision in pollination, laying the groundwork for the development of high-quality vanilla beans. The vanilla vines are nurtured for several months, protected from harsh weather, and monitored for ripeness, ensuring the beans reach the perfect stage of maturity. 2. Dipping After harvest, beans are heated to 60-70�?�°C for three days, depending on size, split on the vine, and water temperature. A master curer dips the beans, killing the outer vegetative skin and other pathogens. This stops growth and releases enzymes for the production of vanillin, the bean's primary flavor component. The timing depends on these factors. 3. Sweating After extracting beans from water, they are wrapped tightly in wool blankets and stored in a dark, airtight container to preserve heat and steam. Enzymes convert cellulose and starches into vanillin, giving vanilla its subtle aroma. Steaming is a process that lasts three to four days, keeping the vanilla heat and leather. After drying in the sun, the pods are successful when they turn chocolate color, or dotted with chocolate and green. 4. Drying Drying has two stages: Sun drying and drying in the shade STEP 1 - Sun drying A large bag is used as a mat, followed by sheets, which are blankets or pieces of bags cut out. Vanilla is spread thinly on the sheets, allowing sun drying for two to three hours each day. The pods absorb the appropriate temperature, and the blankets are rolled up and transported back to the box. This process lasts for four days, with the vanilla returned to the box on the fifth day, deposited with rolled sheets or mats while respecting the steaming system. STEP 2 - Drying in the shade Drying in the shade Drying in the shade, as the name suggests, is not done outdoors like previously but inside the store. It consists of placing and spreading in an orderly manner the vanilla pods on drying racks after making by heads. 5. Packaging The packaging of vanilla is divided into 5 successive stages: - Bulk sorting - Classification - Measurement - Packaging - Storage