Noble Organic Vanilla Powder, Powder Vanilla Planifolia from Alor, Indonesia

From 28,00 €
0,56 € /g

Quantity

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Directly sourced, personally connected - transparent origin & no middlemen
particularly full-bodied vanilla flavor
creamy-caramel taste
Above-average vanillin content
Cultivation by local small farmers from an organic & Fairtrade-certified cooperative
grows in mixed cultures with various exotic fruits and spices

Alor vanilla

Organic vanilla powder from Alor, Indonesia

Vanilla is not wrongly called the 'queen of spices'. It is one of the most popular spices and, along with saffron, is one of the most expensive in the world. Unlike in the industry, we work with pure, natural vanilla, which is characterized by a very high vanillin content. This aromatic substance is the main flavor carrier of vanilla, which is also responsible for its health-promoting properties. With a content of over 21% vanillin, the proportion in our vanilla far exceeds the global standard.

Alor vanilla was named after its area of origin - Alor, the largest island of the archipelago of the same name in Indonesia. The orchid plant is very demanding and thrives only in a few places. Depending on the region of cultivation, its fruits can vary greatly in taste and quality. However, no palate will miss the fact that the climbing plant of our vanilla beans feels perfectly at home in its growing region. Under organic and Fairtrade certified conditions, it is grown and cared for by local farmers of a cooperative on the still very pristine island.

Just as the Maya and Aztecs did, we love to refine ritual cocoa drinks with our vanilla, giving them the typical creamy, caramel note and a sensual, delicate fragrance.

Calming and at the same time invigorating effect

Vanilla has a long history as a remedy due to its many health-promoting properties. These properties are mainly due to the main ingredient vanillin. In industry, this is mostly used in synthetically produced form as a flavoring, although it is unclear whether health risks can be associated with it. Our vanilla contains only natural vanillin, and even in above-average proportions.

Vanilla is said to have antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. It has a calming effect on the nervous system and the entire organism, provides a cosy feeling of warmth and is a natural mood enhancer. In this sense, it is said to counteract tension and moodiness and enable a good night's sleep. At the same time, its consumption is said to have invigorating, metabolism- and digestion-enhancing and subtly aphrodisiacal effects. On a mental level, it can also improve concentration. Overall, it is said to strengthen and stabilise the entire organism.

From hand pollination to the fully ripened luxury spice

Fine vanilla as a spice in powder form comes from the orchid of the same name, whose capsule fruits (the vanilla pods) are fermented and dried. Its name is derived from 'vainilla', which means 'small pod'. As a climber, the noble vanilla favours forests where it can climb up trees with its adhesive roots. From June to August, the plant's yellowish-orange flowers are a pretty sight, each with five long leaves and a funnel in the centre. The beauty of their unfolding is truly to be savoured, as it is short-lived. Each flower opens for just a single morning. In American countries, the flowers are pollinated by bees and hummingbirds. However, as these do not exist in Indonesia, the flowers are pollinated by hand. The male pollen is transferred to the female stigma with a stick and pressed together with the fingers. The elongated fruit capsules, which can grow up to 30 cm long, develop from the pollinated flowers within a few weeks.

After harvesting, they are fermented so that the vanilla flavour can fully develop. In addition to vanillin, ingredients such as guaiacol, p-kesol and creosol are important factors for the typical flavour of the spice. The pods only turn dark brown to black in colour during the fermentation process. The fine vanilla is then carefully dried in several stages, which takes around two weeks under the tropical sun and up to four weeks in the shade. It takes 4-6 months for the vanilla pods to finally develop their full flavour. The vanilla pods lose a lot of weight during the drying process, leaving 1 kg of dark gourmet vanilla pods out of 6 kg of green pods.

Surrounded by the pristine charm of Alor Island

Our fine vanilla is native to the island of Alor, which lies around 1400 km west of Bali and has a unique variety of plants and optimal climatic conditions. The Alor archipelago is characterized by a breathtakingly aesthetic underwater world with a colorful variety of species. A magnificent spectacle of colors and contrasts, playing dolphins and flying fish. The demanding Vanilla planifolia nevertheless prefers drier feet in shady places, so that it can be aromatically inspired by its conspecifics in mixed forest cultures surrounded by a variety of fruits and spices such as cloves. The island of Alor is still hardly developed for tourism, so it has retained its completely natural charm to this day.

The island's local residents derive most of their income from the primary sector, though they face certain challenges. Crop failures and theft make livelihoods difficult for many local people. In addition, the cultivation of vanilla, from manual pollination to the ripening process, involves considerable effort.

For this reason, we source our vanilla from a cooperative where not only the Fairtrade standard is implemented, but the farmers are also paid above market value. Starting with about 80 farmers, today almost 300 smallholders are part of the cooperative.

Vanilla & cocoa - delicate seduction with a long tradition

The traditional refinement of ceremonial cacao through the addition of vanilla dates back to the lifetime of the Maya and the Aztecs. Even then, vanilla was in high demand for its unique flavor and was in fact by some tribes handed to the Aztec ruler as a tribute. People were aware of the spice's health benefits and have used vanilla as a remedy for thousands of years.

Xocolatl - this is the name of the classic ceremonial cacao drink of the Maya and the Aztecs. Xoco' means bitter and 'atl' means water. Instead of using vegan milk and coconut blossom sugar, ceremonial cacao was prepared with water only and then refined with chili and vanilla. Cacao and spices were a precious commodity, so this invigorating and stimulating drink was reserved for special occasions and highly respected people.

Vanilla and cacao - a delicate seduction with noble tradition, can you resist it?