Madagascar, also called Red Island because of the color of its land, is a country very rich in natural resources. Vanilla considered as the Malagasy black gold is one of them. The vanilla of Madagascar grows mainly in the region located in the North East of the island. It represents a very important part of the population's income. For several years, Madagascar has been the largest producer of vanilla in the world, processing nearly 85% of the world volume. As a result, the vanilla market in Madagascar is strongly influenced by the world market, and requires a lot of work before becoming what we know today.
History of vanilla
The occupants of the coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, around the present-day cities of Veracruz and Papantla, produced vanilla and supplied it to the Aztec empire. The Spanish discovered vanilla in the early 16th century during their conquest of the American continent.
Vanilla crosses borders and becomes a real craze in Europe. In 1692, a royal edict established a monopoly on the sale of vanilla in France and it became increasingly popular at court. Under the spell of vanilla, Louis XIV decided to experiment with its cultivation in the greenhouses of the Paris Museum.
Vanilla nowadays
Today, vanilla is fertilized with a thorn or a bamboo tip. With this instrument, the plant membrane is torn. Each flower must be fertilized in the morning, otherwise it will wither. Each one will give birth to a pod. A worker can fertilize between 1,000 and 2,000 flowers per day. An immature vanilla will be low in vanillin, the main aromatic component of vanilla but also an excellent antiseptic agent of the pod. This is why for some years now, vanillas have been of lower quality, due to falling vanillin levels or high humidity. The consequences for the Malagasy population would be important, because vanilla can represent up to 90% of the family income.
How to store vanilla?
Vanilla is a spice whose preparation aims to dry and develop a strong and unique aroma. To facilitate the preparation of the vanilla bean in cooking or baking, the bean should be soft, fleshy and have an appropriate moisture content.
- Protect it from air and odors Vanilla absorbs the scents around it, so it must be isolated from other scents.
- Store it in an airtight container A plastic box or a glass jar to preserve the suppleness and the aromas as long as possible.
- Protect from light The light, source of heat, can contribute to the desiccation of the pods.
- Can we freeze vanilla?
- Preservation of the powder and extracts The powder must be preserved from humidity and the extracts must be kept away from the sun to avoid crystallization of the sugar.
- Shelf life of vanilla Vanilla is not a perishable product, but it should be consumed within two years so that it retains its suppleness and aroma.