Where does vanilla come from?

Who doesn’t love strolling through an old town on holiday and getting a vanilla ice cream?

But how much do we really know about vanilla and where it comes from?

Pure Bourbon Vanilla Beans

First things first, what is vanilla?

Vanilla is a member of the orchid family! Vanilla grows as a clinging vine, reaching lengths of up to 300 feet, from which sprout pale greenish-yellow flowers, about four inches in diameter.

Fun Facts about Vanilla:

  • The first people to cultivate vanilla were the Totonacs. Then the Aztecs acquired vanilla when they conquered the Totonacs in the 15th Century and thereafter the Spanish got on to it when they conquered the Aztecs.

  • The first recorded use of vanilla was in the 1805 edition of Hannah Glasse’s The Art of Cookery

  • It is the second most expensive spice in the world (after saffron) because its production is so labour-intensive.

Where do our Bourbon Vanilla Beans come from?

Sustainably sourced beans from small village farms in Sava region of Northern Madagascar that are reviving artisanal farming methods.

What’s special about our Vanilla Bean Powder?

Not your run-of-the-mill vanilla extract or paste, this vanilla bean powder consists of whole vanilla pods that have been cured, dried and finely ground. The powder is packed with vanilla flavour without the alcoholic harshness that you often find in vanilla extracts.

How to use vanilla powder?

Add to: Desserts, adds sweetness and depth to fruit salads, stews, marinades and vinaigrettes.

We especially like using it in whipped cream and custard bases, where it won't dissolve but continue to infuse flavour as it sits, with visible subtle flecks characteristic of vanilla bean.

Replace 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract with 1/2 a teaspoon of Vanilla Bean Powder

BoTree PR team