Flower to Pod: The Art and Rarity of Norohy Vanilla
Few ingredients are as captivating, or as painstakingly crafted as genuine vanilla. From the fleeting bloom of its orchid flower to the long, slow journey into a fragrant, glossy pod, every stage is an act of patience, skill, and respect for nature.
At Norohy, that journey takes place in the lush, humid forests of North-East Madagascar, where vines climb high, the air is heavy with green fragrance, and each vanilla pod begins its life as a single, hand-pollinated blossom.
By Lucie Winship
7 October 2025
What Makes Norohy Vanilla Special
Norohy works directly with farming communities in the Mananara/ Maroantsetra regions of Madagascar, sourcing only organic beans with full traceability.
This isn’t just about flavour. By packaging the vanilla on-site rather than shipping it elsewhere, more value stays in the local economy. Farmers are paid fairly, biodiversity is protected, and local infrastructure, from schools to bridges, receives ongoing investment.
For chefs, bakers, and home cooks, that means you’re not just buying a pod, you’re supporting a community and a landscape, while enjoying one of the finest natural flavours on earth.
Did You Know…?
- Vanilla is an orchid, not a bean. Its scientific name is Vanilla planifolia.
- Each flower lasts only one day and outside its native home, Mexico, it relies entirely on hand-pollination.
- It takes 8-9 months for a pollinated flower to develop into a mature pod ready for harvest.
From Flower to Pod: The Farming Process
1. Encouraging Flowering
Through careful management of sunlight, shade, and water, growers stimulate the vines to produce blossoms. After several months, clusters of delicate, ivory-coloured orchid flowers emerge.
2. Precision in Hand-Pollination
Each flower opens for only a few hours. Within this narrow window, skilled growers manually pollinate the blooms using a fine tool, traditionally a sharpened thorn, to delicately press the reproductive structures together. This meticulous process ensures the development of a pod.
3. Pod Development
Following pollination, the pods require eight to nine months to reach maturity. During this period, they gradually lengthen, changing from bright green to a paler hue, before showing a subtle yellowing at the tip that signals readiness for harvest.
4. Selective Harvesting
Pods ripen at different rates, requiring growers to inspect the vines repeatedly. Each pod is harvested individually at its optimal stage to safeguard quality.
5. Arresting Growth & Initiating Flavour
Freshly harvested pods are immersed briefly in hot water, a process known as scalding, which halts vegetative growth. They are then wrapped and stored in insulated boxes for around 48 hours, where enzymatic reactions begin to unlock their distinctive aroma.
6. Controlled Drying
Over the following one to two months, the pods are carefully dried, exposed to sunlight by day and stored in wooden boxes overnight. This balance of sun and shade preserves the beans’ integrity while intensifying their fragrance.
7. Maturation
Once dried, the pods are transferred to wooden trunks, where they mature for a further four to five months. This stage allows the complex bouquet of flavours and aromas to fully develop.
8. Grading & Packaging
At the final stage, pods are assessed for quality. The most supple, glossy, and aromatic beans are classified as “gourmet black” vanilla. Each is measured with precision, tied into bundles, and vacuum-sealed in Madagascar, ensuring that the pods reach kitchens worldwide in perfect condition.
Norohy Organic Madagascan Bourbon Vanilla Extract
- A pastry-making essential with high vanillin content.
- Use in cakes, biscuits, mousses, creams, custards, ice cream, ganaches, drinks; anywhere you want instant, consistent vanilla flavour without handling whole beans.
- 20g of extract = 1 vanilla bean.
Norohy Madagascan Vanilla Beans
- Whole organic Bourbon vanilla beans with rich rum-raisin and woody notes.
- Use for infusions (custards, creams, ganaches, syrups, drinks) or splitting and scraping for seeds and infusion.
- Best for when you want a traditional, aromatic signature and visual seeds in desserts.
Norohy Organic Madagascan Vanilla Beans Powder
- Finely ground Bourbon beans, easy to use (3–6g per kg).
- Great for biscuits, cakes, chocolate, pralines, sponges, batters, or anywhere you want even dispersion of flavour without liquid.
- Adds woody, intense vanilla notes.
Norohy Organic Madagascan Vanifusion
- A convenient paste with all parts of the vanilla bean (powder, concentrate, seeds, sugar syrup).
- Use in mousses, creams, patisserie, ice creams, biscuits, batters, ganaches; anywhere you’d normally use scraped beans but want ease of measurement.
- Adds both flavour and visual seeds.
Norohy Tadoka Vanilla
- A ready-to-use, portioned vanilla concentrate bound with cocoa butter, combining Madagascan Planifolia (woody) and PNG Tahitensis (floral/aniseed) beans.
- Simply melt or grate into sweet or savoury dishes, hot or cold.
- Perfect for precise dosing with no waste (1 dose = 4g).
- Expands use of vanilla into savoury cuisine, sauces, and chocolate work.
Norohy Vakana Madagascan Vanilla Pearl
- A 100% vanilla, sugar-free intense paste made from non-exhausted seeds & vanilla concentrate.
- Ultra-concentrated: 3g pearls = 4g beans.
- Adds a burst of vanilla flavour and seed speckling.
- Ideal for garnishing, finishing touches, pastry creams, ice creams, ganaches where intensity and visual appeal matter.
Why Madagascar Vanilla Stands Out
Madagascar Vanilla (Planifolia) | |
Appearance | Long, slender pods |
Flavour Profile | Rich, warm, creamy with hints of rum and raisin |
Vanillin Content | High, giving strong, classic vanilla aroma |
Rarity | Widely grown |
How to Spot a Good Vanilla Pod
- Colour & Sheen – Deep black, glossy pods indicate freshness.
- Length – Gourmet Madagascar beans are typically 16–23 cm.
- Flexibility – A fresh pod bends easily and can be tied in a knot without breaking.
- Aroma – Strong, complex, and persistent.
- Vanillin Crystals – White “frosting” is a sign of high quality and intense flavour.
- Packaging – Vacuum-sealed or in sealed tubes, ideally packed at source for maximum freshness.
Why It Matters
Vanilla is more than a flavouring, it’s a story of people, place, and patience. Each Norohy pod carries with it months of careful tending, the skill of growers, and the distinctive taste of its terroir.
So, whether you’re making a rich crème brûlée, or crafting show-stopping patisserie, using Norohy vanilla means every spoonful carries a little bit of Madagascar’s magic.
Lucie is a marketing executive with a love for cats, baking, board games and trading card games.
Her favourite chocolate is Valrhona Manjari 64% Grand Cru Dark Chocolate.