Vanilla, remember...That I am nothing without you...Vanilla ah ah...
A regressive flavor, a sweet, warm, and intoxicating scent... Beware anyone who dares to tire of it, vanilla is everywhere: it can be found, but most often in the form of different vanilla flavors . However, the intense and powerful taste of a real vanilla pod is inimitable. Zoom in on this spice so popular and yet so little known.
Summary
What are the benefits of vanilla in infusions and teas?
Soft and powerful, generous and subtle…
The irresistible taste of vanilla isn't "only" delicious for your taste buds, it's also good for your mood!
A true Proust madeleine, it even seems (word of a marmot) that the simple evocation of this warm scent is enough to stimulate the production of serotonin, also known as the happiness hormone!
Comforting as you wish, a touch of vanilla could well perfume the room and your heart.
What vanilla is used in Les 2 Marmottes teas?
Vanilla is a spice derived from the only edible fruit of the orchid family, the largest family of flowering plants in the world!
Native to Mexico, where it is still wildly pollinated by a small endemic bee, its cultivation has since been widely exported. There are nearly a hundred species, and it is where it is grown that changes all its subtleties!
Among those that we find most often on our taste buds, we can mention Bourbon Vanilla (planifolia), Pompona Vanilla, with balsamic and woody aromatic notes, and Tahitensis Vanilla, with more fruity and floral notes, originating from Tahiti.
At Les 2 Marmottes, we use real Bourbon Vanilla, from Madagascar, and above all, never, never, never any added flavors , we keep repeating it! These are therefore authentic pods that we cut finely before incorporating them into our organic vanilla tea : no vanilla flavoring (neither synthetic nor natural), no vanilla extract ...
A small (almost unique) feat of which we are utterly proud!
What is Bourbon Vanilla?
The term "Bourbon vanilla" applies to vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) production from the Indian Ocean and the corresponding traditional preparation technique, as opposed to vanilla from Mexican, Tahitian or Indonesian production.
This corresponds to vanilla from Reunion Island (which was formerly called Bourbon Island, hence the name), Madagascar, Mayotte, the Comoros and Mauritius.
This vanilla is renowned for its intense vanillin aroma and complex notes of dried fruits, rum and raisins.
Yes, Bourbon Vanilla is so good!
In which recipes do our master infusers use vanilla?
The 2 Marmottes recipe that uses vanilla is naturally our Vanilla Tea : a true invitation to travel to savor down to the last pod for a generous organic tea and always without added flavors.
Its signature touch: a hint of rooibos and a tiny bit of stevia leaf (not to be confused with the sweetener) are added to the tea to give a herbal "roundness" in the mouth, enhance the vanilla and counterbalance the tonicity of the black tea .
It is so fragrant that it can even be used in cooking to make delicious desserts, for example delicious homemade vanilla creams .
Word(s) of the master brewer
"Vanilla is truly a beautiful product! When the Spanish wanted to cultivate this large orchid somewhere other than Mexico, they failed resoundingly: no fruit to harvest... The melipona bee, found only in Mexico, is the only one capable of pollinating vanilla! Therefore, everywhere else, vanilla must be pollinated by hand. This makes it one of the most difficult spices to cultivate in the world! Our vanilla is prepared by hand using the Bourbon method, which means it goes through a whole process that can last from 6 to 9 months: scalding, steaming, drying in the sun, drying in the shade, refining... The producer's experience is essential, because it is necessary to adapt according to the size and quality of the pod. A totally traditional method that guarantees Bourbon Vanilla these characteristic flavors."
