Madagascar Pompona Vanilla (Banana Vanilla) - Rare Grand Cru - Buying, Uses, and Recipes

"Discover an extraordinary vanilla with our Madagascar Pompona Vanilla Beans, a giant and rare variety, available at the best quality-price ratio at Le Comptoir de Toamasina."

Our family business, an expert in the vanilla sector in Madagascar since 2010, invites you this time to a botanical rediscovery with Pompona Vanilla. I am Arnaud Sion, nicknamed Arnaud Vanille, and I invite you to explore this little-known variety that challenges the codes of classic vanilla. My approach is simple but demanding: I don't just import. I regularly visit plantations to train myself in the art of vanilla selection and understand every step of the curing process. This passion for the product even pushed me to test vanilla production myself, here in Brazil, in the state of Minas Gerais, in order to grasp the full complexity of this orchid.

Pompona Vanilla is distinguished by its gigantism (the pods are very wide and fleshy) and its powerful aromatic profile, blending notes of coumarin (Tonka bean), leather, and heady flowers. Often called "Banana Vanilla" by Malagasy planters due to its shape, it offers a raw and wild vanilla intensity. Personally, although Pompona is an incredible and rare olfactory experience, I always keep a special place in my heart for the Bahian vanilla from Bahia, which you can also discover in my shop.

The Vanilla Pompona variety is cultivated confidentially on the lands of Madagascar. Its pods, which can reach an impressive width, offer a complex content of essential oils and aromatic molecules. Unlike Planifolia (classic Bourbon), it develops heavier, powdery notes that linger on the palate. We are proud to offer you this collector's vanilla, often impossible to find in Europe. Each pod is a concentrate of powdery, floral, and spicy aromas, ideal for long macerations (rums) and dessert creams. At Le Comptoir de Toamasina, we select only the most beautiful pods, split or unsplit depending on the curing, to guarantee you a "Grand Cru" experience.

Why choose our Pompona Vanilla?

• Absolute Rarity: Pompona represents a tiny fraction of global production. It is a connoisseur's vanilla.
• Exceptional Caliber: Our pods are selected for their imposing size (wide and fleshy) and their richness in seeds.
• Field Expertise: Arnaud Vanille visits plantations to train in processing techniques and has experimented with vanilla cultivation in Minas Gerais, guaranteeing precise product knowledge.

If you continue reading, you will discover how to tame this wild vanilla in the kitchen. Whether for an exceptional arranged rum or a custard with Tonka notes, Pompona will broaden your culinary horizons.

Pompona Vanilla - Malagasy know-how for a forgotten variety

Madagascar Pompona Vanilla - Buying, Uses, and Characteristics

Pompona is the "heavyweight" of vanilla. Here is what you need to know:

• Origin and Characteristics: Vanilla Pompona Schiede. Short and very wide pods (like small bananas) or long and flat depending on the terroir.
• Aromatic Profile: On the nose, it attacks with notes of fresh tobacco, leather, and licorice. On the palate, it explodes with flavors of coumarin (similar to Tonka bean), tropical flowers, and ripe fruits. It generally contains less pure vanillin than Bourbon but possesses a much more complex aromatic bouquet (heliotropin, coumarin).
• Uses in Cooking: It is the queen of macerations. It works wonders in alcohol (Rum, Whiskey, Vodka) because its thick skin diffuses slowly. It is also sublime in rich creams (with eggs and cream) where its Tonka notes bind with the fats.

Formats available at Le Comptoir de Toamasina

Le Comptoir de Toamasina offers Pompona Vanilla in different packaging adapted to your needs, from the discovery vial for the curious to economical bags for enthusiasts and professionals. We generally offer:

• Vial of 1 or 2 pods (Large Caliber): To test this unique variety.
• Bulk bags (50g, 250g, 1kg): For lovers of arranged rum or pastry chefs.

Note: A Pompona pod often weighs double or triple that of a standard pod!

What is the Pompona variety? An olfactory journey

Vanilla Pompona is a distinct species, different from Planifolia (Bourbon) and Tahitensis (Tahiti). Giant Physique: Its pods are triangular in cross-section and very thick. The moisture content is often controlled to avoid mold on this large caliber. Unique Chemistry: It is rich in piperonal (heliotrope notes) and coumarin. This is what gives it that "perfumery" side highly appreciated by ice cream makers. Rare and Precious: It does not benefit from the "Bourbon" appellation (reserved for Planifolia), but it is often sold at an equivalent or higher price due to its botanical rarity.

Why buy this vanilla? Pompona Vanilla is not an everyday vanilla; it is an experience vanilla. Buying Pompona at Le Comptoir de Toamasina means choosing to surprise your guests with a taste they have probably never encountered. It means stepping off the beaten path of "cake" vanilla to move towards "spice" vanilla.

How to use Pompona Vanilla in cooking and baking?

How to store and replace Pompona Vanilla?

Storage: Careful, Pompona is sensitive. Store it in our glass tubes or airtight jars (no basic plastic). Check from time to time: if it dries out, it keeps its aroma. It improves with time, its leather notes accentuating like a good wine.

What to replace it with? If you no longer have Pompona, replacement is difficult because its taste is unique. A mixture of a classic Bourbon vanilla bean and a little grated Tonka bean is what comes closest to the aromatic profile of Pompona. You can also use Tahitian Vanilla for the floral side.

Order your Pompona Vanilla now and join the inner circle of exceptional vanilla lovers!