How is vanilla harvested

All flavor in the vanilla bean is developed in its last months on the vine … The vanilla bean may be at full weight and size at 5 months, but the last 4 months are the most critical because the bean is ripening and developing its flavor components. This price volatility is historic, says Patricia Rain , culinary historian and owner of The Vanilla Company. In part, it is the result of cycles of tropical storms—something that may change in unpredictable ways due to climate change.

Vanilla beans start to ferment as soon as they are harvested, so there is an urgent need for farmers to find buyers for their beans.

Smaller producers typically sell green beans to middlemen who collate larger amounts of beans and sell them to centralized curing facilities or directly to the curing facilities themselves. However, as there is no set market price for green beans, these farmers have limited options when it comes to negotiating for a higher price.

It goes through many more sets of hands. Those hands extend from traders who ship the beans to stores that stock them. The price increase was built on speculation that, due to poor pollination, the vanilla harvest would be small. So is the answer to move away from real vanilla, and toward more environmentally friendly ways of scaling up production of artificial vanilla? Assuming that we consumers are content with a simple vanilla flavor, perhaps. But we will undoubtedly lose something in the process.

The diverse flavors Padayachee describes are a reflection of the genetics of the vanilla bean as well as the places in which it is grown.

Bourbon Vanilla—named for the area where hand-pollination was developed—is known for a sweet, rum-like flavor, while Tahitian Vanilla displays floral qualities. Due to drying techniques, Indonesian Vanilla—which comprises about 25 percent of the global supply, according to van der Walde—often displays smoky characteristics, while Mexican Vanilla—which comprises less than 5 percent—reveals spicy and woody notes.

In reaching for the real thing, we also support the farmers who carefully nurture, pollinate and harvest the crop. Here are the 6 stages: 1. Harvesting Beans are carefully pulled from the flower.

At this phase they are green and odorless, as you can see in this informative video. This not only kills the skin of the vanilla bean, but also kills other potential pathogens. Sweating The vanilla pods are exposed to the hot conditions during the day and then wrapped in blankets at night to "sweat" out their inherent flavor and aroma. It is in this phase that the wonderful, familiar flavor and aroma of vanilla begins to present itself. Drying Similar to sweating, this phase is more art than science, but science is still an important factor.

Grading Once dried, vanilla beans are laid out and graded based on their quality, shape and moisture content into various categories such as "grade-A", "grade-B", "gourmet", "black", etc. Grade-a and Grade-b are based on moisture content and easier to quantify. While "gourmet" or "black" are much more subjective. On the other hand, if a vanilla bean is left on the pod until it is fully ripe, it will split.

Like an overripe fruit with a high sugar content that opens naturally. I particularly like slightly split vanilla beans. My customers often prefer unsplit vanilla beans. You think it has been badly treated or is not of good quality, but in fact it is the opposite. It has a fruity flavor with a hint of cherry undertones. The Indian variety is known for having a bolder flavor. Tonga vanilla has less spice and more of a woody flavor to it.

It takes some trial and error on your part to figure out what works for you. The reason being, vanilla plants grown from seed take years before they can produce pods. It can be difficult to locate these plants locally.

You can search via the internet for either vanilla bean plant or vanilla orchid. Because there are few areas with the right climate for vanilla in the US and Canada, the best way to grow it is in a container.

Gently place the plant in the pot and cover the roots with soil. Add a lattice or stick to support the plant. This will give it a place to climb as well since vanilla bean plants are a type of orchid and have vines. The most important part of planting is providing the appropriate environment. For instance, you can leave your vanilla plant in the house in a typical setting while providing water and fertilizer. In most cases, the plant will survive and do fine as a typical house plant.

Your plant must be raised in the proper environment to encourage flowering. They like high humidity and bright, indirect sunlight. Vanilla plants have specific needs that must be met for the plant to thrive and produce. Vanilla plants should be fertilized once every 2 weeks during the spring and summer months.