Moist And Plump Vanilla Beans. Gourmet Vanilla Beans Shine Where Most Recipes Require Very Little Added Moisture From Extract, Or Where You Want To Showcase Real Vanilla Used, Such As Creme Brulee, Ice Cream, Custards, Or Buttercream Frostings Where The Caviar Can Be Scraped From The Bean And Added Directly To Your Culinary Delights.

Can Also Be Used Where Fragrance Is Desired, Like Soaps And Candles. Vanilla Pods Are One Of The Most Exclusive Spices In The World, Primarily Due To The Extensive Labor Required To Grow And Process The Vanilla. Its Cultivation Is A Long And Labor Intensive Process Taking Eight Months, From When The Farmer Hand Pollinates Each Flower, To When They Are Ready For Harvesting.

The Plant That Produces Vanilla Is From The Orchid Family And Is A Herbaceous Vine That Is Perennial Climber Living In Tropical Areas Where The Temperature Ranges Between 70 To 86 Degrees. Vanilla Beans Are Picked While They Are Still Green And Have To Be Cured To Create Their Distinct Vanilla Flavor And Smell.

The Vanilla Pods Are Harvested As They Ripen Once Their Color Changes From Dark Green To Light Green With A Yellow Tinge. The Pods Then Undergo Several Stages Of Processing Including Classification Into Length, Scalding In Hot Water, Curing In Sweating Boxes And Sun Drying Before Packaging Once The Vanilla Has Been Scalded In Hot Water And Transferred Into A Wooden Box Lined With A Blanket For Sweating, They Will Attain A Light Brown Color And Start Imparting Aroma.

At This Point They Will Be Spread In The Sun For Drying During The Day And Repacked Into Sweating Boxes Each Night For A 14 Day Period. The Dried And Classified Vanilla Pods Are Tied With Thread Into Bundles And Kept In Wooden Boxes For Further Conditioning For A Two Month Period To Fully Develop The Fragrance.

Finally, Bundles Are Wrapped In Wax Paper And Stored In Airtight Container Before Being Vacuum Packed To Retain Freshness For Several Years.