Not all vanilla is created equal. For fine pastry work, it is essential to distinguish a professional-grade pod from a standard product.
Gloss and suppleness
A quality Gourmet or Black vanilla pod should be supple. You should be able to wrap it around your finger without breaking it. Its skin should feel slightly oily and glossy, a sign that it is rich in aromatic seeds.
Length as a mark of prestige
At MSV Nosy-Be, our vanilla is graded by length. Pods measuring 16 to 18 cm are especially prized by chefs because they yield far more seeds than shorter formats.
