In his search for the Indian spice route, Christopher Columbus came across the country where vanilla originated. Thinking that he was landing in India for the third time, the sailor arrived in Mexico, in the heart of Aztec country, where tlilxotchitl, or the “black pod,” was cultivated as a partner for cocoa or coffee.
Columbus brought the precious dried fruit of the liana back to Spain and, within a century, it was known throughout Europe. But, in the mid-19th century, vanilla was still “made” only in Mexico. If the technique of fermenting the bean was already well known, the method for pollinising the flower was not. The pollinisation happened naturally thanks to the melipone bee, which was found only in Mexico.
It was the Belgian naturalist Charles Morren, or a slave from Reunion – history has forgotten to note the detail – who discovered, in 1841, how to replace the bee with man’s hand.
Very quickly, the French exported the plants to Tahiti, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion and Comores. France thus adopted the vanilla bean, the finest of which are listed here:
- From Papua New Guinea, the most sensual – used in savoury cooking – can be matched with other spices such as nutmeg and ginger to create refined spiced sauces.
- In Tahiti, a particular variety is cultivated for top-quality perfumes such as Guerlain. As you might expect it’s the most fragrant, perfect in cold preparations (whipped cream – fruit salads – sabayon – peach soup).
- From the Indies comes a very sweet and tender vanilla that goes well with dairy preparations (caramel, hot vanilla milk, egg custard, crème brûlée).
- In Mexico, its elegant perfume evokes candied fruit (compotes, scrumbles, poached pears, but also seafood broths and fish sauces).
- Madagascar’s thin, long bean is the best for custards, pastries, soufflés and ice cream.
- In Comores, the deep-tasting vanilla goes wonderfully with chocolate (mousses – hot chocolate – chocolate cake – chocolate pudding – ganache).
But it’s also delicious in vegetable soups such as celery root, potato or pumpkin.

It may be its smooth, sweet taste, with a very light scent of tobacco, which appeals so much to the French. Vanilla is certainly the most prized discovery from the New World, where it is traditionally used with chocolate and coffee but also with dairy products (cream, yoghurt, ice cream) and fruits, bringing out their flavours.
I like to use it in broths and sauces for seafood, langoustines and lobsters. I add it to sauces for fish but in precise quantities, as its penetrating taste can upset the harmony of a dish. It can also intensify the flavours of certain vegetables in creams and soups. One of the most successful matches is that of almond and vanilla, which is found in frangipane. Its great friends are ginger, pineapple, rhubarb and dark chocolate. Vanilla bean is a very expensive product (the procedure is slow, complex and risky, as the pod could turn mouldy), so nothing should go to waste. I advise you to slip it into an airtight jar with sugar to flavour the sugar or cut it into small lengths of 3 cm that you can slit open and scrape with a knife to infuse in a liquid.
Of course, you’ll need to choose your product. The vanillas that I appreciate the most are from Veracruz in Mexico, which still produces natural vanilla.
It’s also effective in treating chronic bronchitis and smokers’ coughs.
Finally, I recommend it to all those who take themselves too seriously, so that they can relive for a few moments the carefree days of childhood.
I like to use vanilla in broths and sauces for seafood, langoustines and lobsters. Vanilla is more traditionally used in desserts, as in the magnificent pairing with almonds found in frangipane, but it also makes a wonderful match for ginger, pineapple, rhubarb and dark chocolate. It intensifies the flavours of certain vegetables in soups and especially cauliflower, the pride of the St-Malo area. The sea spray envelops these white heads, which squeak when you slice them. There is nothing healthier and lighter than pure white cauliflower soup with a touch of vanilla.