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Vanilla Beans Or Pods Organic From Mananara

Description Price Quantity
Organic Mananara Vanilla Bean - 1 Pod In Tube £3.25
Organic Mananara Vanilla Beans 5 Pods In Bag £8.75
Vanilla Beans Or Pods Organic From Mananara View larger Image

Organic vanilla from Mananara was featured in The Daily Telegraph magazine by Rose Prince - a true fan of this producer. Organic vanilla is one of the truly awesome spices. Vanilla has real history (not always good), a really complex flavour and there can be no substitute. Also, like all great things, it really is a case of letting these organic vanilla beans grow slowly in their own time; rushing the process and getting the organic vanilla beans cured too early just gives you a drab organic vanilla pod.


Mananara was brought to our attention by Rose Prince, who has visited these organic vanilla farmers in the Mananara-North Biosphere, which is a Slow Food Presidia project, as well as being organic under EC and USDA NOP, and certified Fairtrade by FLO Max Havelaar (we are still getting our product certified by The Fairtrade Foundation). In the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Mananara-North in the extreme northeast of Madagascar, organic vanilla growers still use basic methods on small plots of 20 to 40 vines. The region can only be reached by car 3 - 4 months of the year, as the rainy season makes the road impassable.


In Mananara, the organic vanilla blossoms are pollinated by hand using a fine stick or spine. After pollination, the flowers form seeds pods that look a bit like green beans. To cure the organic vanilla these fresh green pods are blanched in hot water, then covered and kept in a warm location for 2 - 3 weeks. Afterwards, the vanilla pods turn soft and black, acquiring an intense aroma. The Mananaran producers wrap the blanched vanilla beans in woollen blankets, storing the packets on elevated floors in their houses to keep them warm and dry. During this period, the organic vanilla beans sweat extra moisture and enzymes in the pods free up the vanillin. During this curing and fermentation phase, the women of Mananara rub each organic vanilla bean daily with their fingers, cleaning them and rendering them supple and smooth. The result of this Slow Food process is a sultry, intensely rich aroma, creating a depth of organic vanilla flavours. Indulge yourself - almost too good to give away to anyone else!. For a photographic journey of the life of vanilla, see our blog and for more on vanilla vist Gernot Katzer's Spice pages.


Steenbergs Organic Mananara Vanilla is a sweet and pungent spice that has a particular affinity for dairy and milk dishes, but can also be used within poultry and pork seasonings very successfully, particularly where a sweet, sugar-based glaze is being used. Vanilla beans are classically used to flavour custards and ice creams, or poached fruits. More unusually, it works really well with chicken or pork dishes. For further inspiration, try the BBC website.


Steenbergs organic Mananara vanilla is part of the Steenbergs range of over 400 organic spices, blends and seasonings, organic peppers, organic chilli, organic herbs, bakery ingredients and flavoured sugars. For your local stockist follow the link or call 01765 640 088 or email enquiries@steenbergs.co.uk.

+ Show Nutritional/Allergy Information

Values per 100g:
Energy 286kCal; 1047kJ
Protein 5.1g
Carbohydrates 48.4g
Fat 8.1g

Values per 3g or 1 vanilla pod:
Energy 9kCal; 31kJ
Protein 0.2g
Carbohydrates 1.5g
Fat 0.2g

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