The Pastry Chef's Golden Rule

To release 100% of the vanillin contained in the dark and oily Madagascar beans:

1. Flatten the bean with the back of a knife, then split it in half lengthwise.
2. Scrape out the thousands of tiny black seeds with the flat side of the blade.
3. In your saucepan of milk or cream, submerge both the seeds AND the empty bean. Heat until just simmering.
4. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and let steep for at least 30 minutes. Remove the empty bean before thickening your preparation.

The ultimate wellness drink

Madagascar turmeric, with its earthy taste and sun-like color, is the basis of this comforting Ayurvedic drink.

1. In a small saucepan, heat 250ml of milk (cow, almond or coconut).
2. Add 1 teaspoon of Madagascar Turmeric, 1 pinch of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of coconut oil (turmeric is fat-soluble, it needs fat) and a good pinch of ground Black Pepper (pepper boosts curcumin absorption).
3. Whisk until the drink is hot and bright yellow.
4. Off the heat, sweeten with a spoonful of honey. Drink in the evening to warm up.

The art of refined heat

Madagascar black pepper is lively and citric. It is made to cut through the fat of juicy red meat.

1. Instead of using a fine mill, place 1 tbsp of black peppercorns in a mortar. Crush them coarsely with the pestle (this is "mignonnette").
2. Sear your rib of beef or rump steak.
3. Never season during cooking (burnt pepper becomes bitter). Sprinkle your meat with the Madagascar mignonnette as you take it out of the pan or directly on the cutting board.

The Malagasy signature dish

Voatsiperifery (tailed wild pepper) has an unforgettable scent of wood and red berries.

• Roast chicken fillets with a drizzle of oil, garlic and thyme. Deglaze the pan with a little broth or liquid cream.
• The secret: Voatsiperifery loses its essential oils to heat. Crush it with a pestle or mill only when plating, directly over the chicken and sauce.

The professional's shortcut

Beans are perfect for creams and infusions. Liquid extract is ideal for "cold" or quick mixtures.

• Pancake / Waffle batter: Stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract directly into your batter before letting it rest.
• Cocktails & Smoothies: Pour 3 drops of extract into your shaker to instantly give a round, cocoa flavor to a quick aged rum or tropical mocktail.
• Homemade yogurts: 1 teaspoon per liter of milk used.

100% natural coloring

Turmeric is an excellent alternative to saffron for giving rice a beautiful golden color without altering its delicacy.

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a saucepan. Pour in your raw rice (basmati or Thai) and let it fry until pearlescent for a minute.
2. Add 1/2 teaspoon of Madagascar Turmeric Powder. Mix well so that the rice grains are coated yellow.
3. Add water or broth (2 parts water to 1 part rice). Cover and cook. A magnificent accompaniment for your fish and poultry!

To surprise your guests

Madagascar wild pepper boasts superb notes of red fruits that exalt bitter cocoa.

1. Prepare an intense dark chocolate mousse (ideally 70% cocoa minimum).
2. When it's time to fold in your egg whites, add 2 good pinches of very finely ground Voatsiperifery to the mixture.
3. Let it set in the fridge. Upon tasting, the mousse will offer a slight heat at the back of the throat, incredibly elegant.

The perfect side dish for duck breast or capon

Vanilla isn't just for desserts! It pairs divinely with slightly sweet winter vegetables.

1. Boil and mash your sweet potatoes.
2. Melt a nice knob of semi-salted butter in a small saucepan, and add the scraped seeds of half a Bourbon Vanilla bean.
3. Add this vanilla butter to the mash. Mix well. The warm aroma of Bourbon vanilla will sublimate the vegetable.

What to do with exhausted beans?

Have you scraped your Bourbon vanilla bean for a custard and rinsed it? Do not throw it away!

• Let the empty bean dry completely in the open air for 48 hours.
• Push it into a large jar filled with classic powdered sugar.
• Close tightly. In 3 weeks, the sugar will absorb the residual aromatic moisture of the bean. You will get a homemade vanilla sugar, much better and cheaper than store-bought ones!

Simple, healthy and punchy

The sharp acidity of Madagascar black pepper makes it a wonderful companion for seafood.

• Place your white fish fillets (cod, pollock) in papillote or in the oven.
• Season with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, lemon slices and ground Madagascar Black Pepper (from the box's mill).
• The gentle cooking in papillote will bring out the pepper's oils which will mix with the lemon for a natural and vibrant sauce.