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Basking in the Exotic Flavor of Madagascar Vanilla

Many people assume that vanilla beans are beans in terms of physical form. In actuality, they are not really beans per se. vanilla beans are actually the pods of delicate vanilla orchids and due to the discovery of the hand-pollination technique, the cultivation of the vanilla orchid started on the Bourbon Island - now known as Reunion Island - as initiated by the French. It is also for this reason that Madagascar vanilla is often known as Bourbon vanilla.

Because the growth of the vanilla orchid largely depends on the warm, moist conditions of tropical countries, Madagascar is clearly one of the best candidates for the production of vanilla beans. In fact, the vanilla plantations situated in the northeast part of the island play a large role when it comes to the income of the island. At present, almost 3/4 of the whole world's production of vanilla beans can be attributed to the Madagascar island and its vanilla plantations. And because the beans themselves are hand-pollinated during its harvest then cured directly under the sun, the pods inevitably exude that delicious, distinctive vanilla aroma that is just all too enticing. The people of Madagascar are very dedicated because the whole process of vanilla bean cultivation takes more or less six years - from planting the beans right up to harvesting them.

Madagascar vanilla is extremely popular in the cooking industry - both in gourmet cooking and in the home front. For the most part, vanilla aficionados go for the freshly cured beans because they give off more intense flavor. Boasting of smooth, buttery, and mellow flavor, these beans easily capture the attention of any vanilla aficionado worldwide. Although Madagascar vanilla is way more expensive than its regularly bottled counterparts, the excess is safely set off because the bean pod easily produces much more aromatic dishes altogether. And one of the popular ways of using the bean pod is the steeping of the pod itself in the dish's liquid portion.

For this concoction, the beans are steeped in either milk or cream before you proceed to making creme brulee or ice cream. You can also steep the bean into alcoholic beverages to make the drinks more flavorful. However, when you are using a dish based on either milk or cream, make sure to bring the liquid nearly to a boil. Place the bean pod then into the liquid then remove the pot from the heat. Make sure to keep the pot covered so that the flavor would be more absorbed by the liquid.

On the average, a vanilla bean is roughly 5 to 7 inches long and comes with half a teaspoon's worth of seeds. Notice those dark flecks in vanilla dishes? These are actually the seeds that you find inside the pod. To get these, just split the vanilla bean right down the middle then scrape off the small seeds. Dry ingredients can also be flavored using the whole pod. By placing the pod in a cupful of sugar, you induce that delicate flavor right into the sugar. You can then use the sugar to flavor your coffee, your tea, or anything you plan to bake.

Madagascar vanilla is, beyond any shadow of a doubt, the cream of the crop. Vanilla aficionados and gourmet chefs would agree that there is clearly no substitute for Madagascar vanilla at all.

Seed Newsvine

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