This incredibly sweet flavouring has a very interesting history and mythology stretching back to before the time of the Aztecs. Indigo herbs Organic Raw Madagascan Vanilla Powder is absolutely pure and hasn’t been treated in any way what so ever. A great Madagascan ingredient to sweeten up desserts, homemade ice creams, cake or biscuits, this classic natural flavouring is a perfect complement to any healthy or raw desserts.

Vanilla cultivation is first attributed to the Totonac people of the east coast of Mexico. Totonac legend tells of how the vanilla orchid was once a beautiful princess called Xanat. The princess fell in love with a commoner and spurned the husband that her father wanted her to marry, who happened to be a fat god of happiness. When the god of happiness was spurned for the third time by the princess he became angry and turned Xanat into the vanilla orchid. Broken hearted, Xanat’s true love takes his own life at the base of the vanilla plant so his blood might nourish the vanilla orchid and Xanat and he can be together forever. Knowledge of Vanilla spread when in the 15th century the Aztec Empire invaded the Totonac people and acquired a taste for vanilla. Up until the 19th century Mexico has was the chief producer of Vanilla until 1819 when it was discovered that the pollination of the orchid could be done by hand. From this point vanilla spread across to Asia and many other countries across the globe who started producing the sweet flavouring in vast quantities.

Vanilla is an orchid and a vine that climbs and attaches to tree trunks and other supports by its fleshy roots. The greenish-yellow flowers are about 2 inches across (5 cm). The flowers last only one day and must be hand-pollinated to produce a seedpod, the "vanilla bean". The only time pollination can be accomplished is during the morning of the one day the flower is open. Unless pollination occurs, the flower drops from the vine the next day. The vanilla pods are about 6 to 9 inches long and usually referred to as Vanilla beans. The Vanilla plants start producing fruit only when it is mature, generally larger than 10 feet. After the seedpods are mature in five or so months they are harvested and go through a curing process that ferments and then dries them while retaining the maximum amount of essential oils.