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By using trees to
help nurture their
growth, vanilla
vines can reach a
height of 30 meters,
yet according to
agricultural
practices, these
vines need to be "capped"
at a height of no
more than 1.5 meters.
On the small side
and yellowish in
color, these flowers
bud in clumps or "brooms".
Removed from its
native setting,
vanilla no longer
benefits from the
fertilization of
indigenous Mexican
insects and thus
requires a very
skilled hand during
fecundation. The
pods develop and
ripen during roughly
8 months. When
the ends of the
vanilla bean start
to turn yellow and
the entire plant
becomes less green,
then it is time to
be harvested. If
picking happens too
late, the pods split
at their ends and
expose their grains.
Not all flowers
bloom at the same
time, as
fertilization and
harvesting can be
spread over several
months. The vines
are inspected on a
daily basis to
ensure that pods are
picked only once
they have reached
full maturity.
The harvested green
pods are immersed
for a few minutes
in water heated to
62°C, an
operation called
scalding. The
scalded vanilla is
then placed in large
crates for 24 hours
and wrapped in wool
blankets so as to
avoid heat loss.
Thanks to retaining
this heat, enzymatic
reactions are able
to begin, as the
vanilla pods lose
water or actually "sweat".
Their color is
altered and takes on
more of a brownish
tint. The brown pods
will be exposed to
the sun for 3 to 5
hours a day, to
complete the drying
stage and, in so
doing, become softer.
This process could
last one or more
weeks. |
