Vanilla Pompona Schiede "Banana" Guadeloupe

THE VANILLA OF GUADELOUPE

The cultivation of vanilla Planifolia Fragrans mainly developed in Guadeloupe and Martinique in the 1830s. In the 1920s, the plantations of Basse-Terre produced 35 tons of vanilla for France.

Today, it is part of the sectors set aside for the benefit of the Banana and Sugar Cane industry. I collect about 7 to 10 kilos per year of scarified vanilla from Guadeloupe - Planifolia species. The scarification technique takes a considerable amount of time for the producer. Each pod has to be scarified by hand on the surface before refining.

The vanilla is not "scalded" contrary to the "Bourbon Technique", it thus keeps all its strength for an exceptional enzymatic development. The natural crystallization due to a saturation of vanillin, appears on certain pods after several months of maturing in wooden boxes sheltered from the light. Nowadays, in Guadeloupe, more and more producers prefer the "Bourbon Technique" because it allows a faster treatment of the harvests. David Vanille supports a traditional refining technique.

It is by preserving this technique of "griffage" of the Guadeloupean producers that we will be able, in the long run, to revitalize the sector. The result is an authentic vanilla with a real aromatic identity, recognizable among hundreds.

VANILLA POMPONA SCHIEDE - A RARE AND UNIQUE VANILLA

I was captivated by its aroma. Pompona vanilla is only found in a few plantations in the Basse-Terre region where it has practically disappeared. It was not exported from Guadeloupe during the vanilla years of the early 20th century. Its banana shape earned it the nickname of vanilla Banana in the West Indies or Vanillon. Its production is one of the most difficult and harvests are often poor. The Pompona vanilla, traditionally, wants to be scarified as for the Planifolia fragrans vanilla species.

Today, no delicatessen offers Pompona vanilla from Guadeloupe. At my level, I collect from my producers, about 300g maximum of Pompona vanilla per year. Since the last hurricanes Irma and Maria, the plantations have been very affected. My main producer of pompona vanilla told me about the huge task he has to face in order to get his vanilla plantation back on its feet. Many of the vanilla trees were broken or fell to the ground with some of the trees.

This farmer is a wonderful man. He was telling me just this week on the phone that this will allow him to rearrange his plantation, laughing. The West Indian strength radiates from him par excellence. This gentleness and this ability to take things with a lot of distance and philosophy.

HOW DID DAVID VANILLA DISCOVER POMPONA SCHIEDE VANILLA?

In 2011, I arrived in Guadeloupe to follow my girlfriend. I started selling vanilla, as I did when I was 18 years old, in Lille during my studies; going back and forth on the beach. In the morning, my girlfriend would drop me off at Club Med where I would start my day with my backpack and a coconut leaf tray.

Then I went along the beach to reach the beach of Bourg de Sainte Anne where I took the time to drink a Sprite at Coco Nack before starting again during several hours. Some Guadeloupean customers asked me why I didn't offer Peyi vanilla? I had been given a few addresses and I quickly got in touch with producers in Basse-Terre. I discovered the two distinct species of Guadeloupe: vanilla planifolia and vanilla pompona schiede. Only a few producers had pompona in their plantations. Often they found it too temperamental.

Indeed, this species is very difficult to harvest because too often, it splits before its full maturity (8 to 9 months). The pods are then less appreciated and are only used to make vanilla extracts locally. It is assumed that the Pompona vanilla species was already present before the arrival of the colonists, during the Amerindian era, when the island was still KARUKERA. My main producer warned me that next year he will have very few pods due to the cyclones. He also insisted that the vanillas were "out of whack" and that they were now blooming over several months of the year, making the task even more difficult.

WHY YOU SHOULD FIND OUT?

To give you a better idea, in 2015, I collected only about ten vanillas of this great vintage from my Guadeloupean producers. It is for me a chance to offer you this treasure that only a few exclusive amateurs will have the privilege to have in their hands.

Whoever discovers this exceptional vanilla can only be delighted by its quality and its unusual nose. For some, it will bring back childhood memories, while for those who love new aromatic notes, it will act as a revelation. Visually, it is majestic. Black in color, sometimes slightly reddish, it is wide and thick. Some producers like to compare its shape to that of a banana, it impresses by its difference.

Often split because it is harvested when fully ripe, it ensures an aromatic palette at its peak.

In a few points, here is why it is absolutely necessary to discover it:

• In my eyes, it is like a diamond, rare and fascinating.
• To the touch, it is greasy, a sign of an essential oil content well above average.
• It is a vanilla still "wild".
• Its aromatic palette is light years away from what we imagine a vanilla bean to be!
• It is on the verge of extinction and must be recognized and appreciated again by the great pastry chefs or perfumers.

HOW TO STORE YOUR POMPONA SCHIEDE VANILLA BEAN?

Simply place your bag in a cool place, away from light. To take full advantage of its aromatic palette, split your pod along its entire length, remove the seeds and incorporate the whole into your recipe.

Only a few centimeters of Pompona vanilla, in long maceration, are enough to perfume a recipe!