Madagascar Bourbon vanilla is often considered the benchmark in pastry. But do you know how much time and effort it takes for a simple flower to become the black, supple, fragrant pod you open in your kitchen? At Ankavia, our family has been growing and preparing vanilla in the SAVA region in northeastern Madagascar for over 60 years. Here is the step-by-step journey of our vanilla.
1. Vanilla, an orchid grown in Madagascar
Vanilla comes from a climbing orchid, Vanilla planifolia. The vine grows on a support in the shade, in the hot, humid climate of Madagascar's east coast. The SAVA region, around Sambava, Antalaha, Vohemar, and Andapa, is the historic heart of Bourbon vanilla production.
It takes several years for a vine to produce its first flowers. During all that time, it must be tended, guided, and protected.
2. Hand pollination, flower by flower
In Madagascar, vanilla has no natural insect pollinator. Each flower must therefore be pollinated by hand, one by one. And time is short: a vanilla flower only stays open for a few hours, just one morning. During the flowering season, you must walk among the vines every day so as not to miss a single flower.
It is this meticulous task, repeated thousands of times, that largely explains the value of vanilla.
3. Maturation and harvesting
Once pollinated, the flower gives way to a green pod that grows slowly on the vine for many months. At this stage, it has no fragrance yet: the vanilla aroma only develops during preparation.
The harvest is done pod by pod, when each reaches maturity. A pod picked too early will produce vanilla with little aroma: this is why patience is part of the expertise.
4. Bourbon preparation: the secret of the fragrance
What is known as the Bourbon method is the traditional way of transforming the green pod into a black, fragrant vanilla pod. It takes place in several steps:
- Blanching: the pods are immersed for a few minutes in hot water. This thermal shock stops the life of the pod and starts the reactions that will create the aroma.
- Sweating: while still warm, the pods are wrapped in blankets and placed in boxes so that they can "sweat". They begin to brown.
- Drying: for several weeks, the pods are spread out in the sun for a few hours a day, then brought back into the shade. They gradually lose their moisture.
- Curing: the pods then rest for several months in chests. This is when their fragrance mellows and fully develops.
In total, between the flower and the pod ready to be sold, it often takes more than a year. The result: long, black, oily, and shiny pods with a rich, warm fragrance, featuring floral notes and a touch of chocolate. This is exactly what you will find in our Bourbon black vanilla pods.
5. Sorting and grading
After curing, each pod is sorted by its length, suppleness, and appearance. At Ankavia, we offer two sizes: 13 to 15 cm and 16 to 18 cm. The pods richest in vanillin can even be covered with small white crystals: this is frosted vanilla, highly sought after by connoisseurs.
6. From our plantation to your home, with no middleman
In the traditional supply chain, vanilla passes through collectors, preparers, exporters, and wholesalers before reaching you. At Ankavia, it is our family that grows, prepares, and sends you the vanilla. There is no middleman: you know where your vanilla comes from, and every purchase directly supports our family and the economy of our region.
Our pods are packaged in vacuum bags to retain all their fragrance during transport, and delivered in France and Europe.
How to recognize a good Madagascar Bourbon vanilla pod?
- It is supple: you can wrap it around your finger without it breaking.
- It is black and shiny, slightly oily to the touch.
- It is fleshy and full of seeds when split open.
- Its fragrance is powerful, even through the bag.
A dry, brittle, or odorless pod has often been poorly prepared or stored.
Want to taste the difference?
Discover our Madagascar Bourbon vanilla pods, from the 20-pod bag to the kilo for professionals. And to find out how to use them, read our vanilla recipes.
