Tahitian vanilla ground

SHORT DESCRIPTION
Tahitian vanilla, or Vanilla tahitiensis, comes from the Tahitian island of Bora Bora. It is among the most expensive vanillas in the world and is used by many top chefs for its exquisite, floral flavor. This high-quality vanilla enriches numerous desserts with a touch of luxury.

USE
With Tahiti Vanilla from STAY SPICED!, you can enhance numerous desserts with a unique floral note: parfaits, soufflés, and curd desserts, vanilla ice cream and vanilla pudding, cocoa and hot chocolate, fruit salad, Bavarian cream, panna cotta, cookies, cakes, and strudel. Haute cuisine chefs also use this vanilla to refine poultry and game dishes, as well as fish and seafood, often in combination with cardamom, cloves, ginger, chili, and pepper. Our tip: This high-quality vanilla is very intense and rich. It's best to start with a small amount and add more seasoning if needed.

GOOD TO KNOW
Be sure to always use the whole pod, because the flavor lies not only in the pulp. That's why we grind the whole vanilla pods with the pulp.

TASTE
Tahitian vanilla is characterized by a vanilla scent with an unusual, floral component. This also sets it apart from the more common Bourbon vanilla, which is grown on the French island of Bourbon, now La Réunion, and whose flavor is significantly darker. Tahitian vanilla contains less vanillin but higher levels of other aromatic substances that give the pods a unique floral aroma. While synthetic vanillin smells similar to vanilla, it lacks the delicate and complex flavor of real vanilla. Unfortunately, products with high-quality vanilla extract or vanilla pulp are rare on the market.

PRODUCTION
This Tahitian vanilla bean from the orchid Vanilla tahitiensis comes from the Tahitian island of Bora Bora. The vanilla extract is obtained from the capsule of the ripe fruit. The vanilla aroma is concentrated in the seeds and the oil surrounding them. The process begins with artificial pollination. The ripe pods are hand-sorted and collected according to quality grades. Processing is very labor-intensive, as the fresh pods have almost no flavor. The vanillin must first be released through an enzymatic reaction. To achieve this, the freshly harvested fruits undergo a series of hot water or steam treatments. This complex procedure makes Tahitian vanilla one of the most expensive spices.