Vanilla beans originated in Mexico and are sun cured for months using the traditional drying method. They are now found all over the world from places like Madagascar to Indonesia to Papa New Guinea PNG farms. Gourmet Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans are the highest quality beans in the world and have an incredible flavor profile. The scent consists of a heavenly buttery aroma with a rich, black or dark brown color and an oily outside surface. The interior of the bean is where the magic is at and consists of millions of black, tiny vanilla seeds that are waiting to be scraped out.Our beans are traditionally cured using the Bourbon curing method to develop the full, complex vanilla flavor made of over 200 organic compounds that artificial vanilla (Natural Vanilla Flavor WONF) cannot properly replicate. The entire process takes anywhere from 6 to 9 months after pollination and our farmers in the SAVA region have turned vanilla processing and curing into a true art. This region remains the industry quality benchmark for producing planifolia (the species of vanilla found in Madagascar) vanilla with high vanillin content.Our grade A organic vanilla beans are ~5 – 6 inches in length and are handpicked to ensure proper qualities. There are so many recipes that can be created with these magical beans! They are perfect for making homemade vanilla extract or KAHLUA, home cooking or baking, desserts such as vanilla bean ice cream, cake, cupcakes, or cookies and are a top choice of professional chefs for making desserts such as Creme Brulee. Our beans are also a top pick for home brewers or those who own a brewery! Homemade KAHLUA or Vanilla extract is also a very popular gift and can be made using a simple vodka infusion method! Bonus points for using the spent vanilla beans after the extract making process for creating vanilla sugar! Our beans are triple inspected throughout the beans journey from Madagascar to the United States. First, they are inspected by our farmers who have hundreds of years of wisdom and experience growing these gourmet pods. The second inspection is before bulk vacuum sealing for transport and to ensure no mold has developed. The final inspection is done at our warehouse moments before packing your shipment. We check the smell, quality, and appearance if any mold has developed a final time. Once all of these are checked, we vacuum seal our vanilla beans in our beautiful custom industrial vacuum pouch to a tight 28 HG vacuum. Traditionally Cured Gourmet Madagascar Vanilla Beans from 2020-2021 CropPerfect for Making Homemade Vanilla Extract or any Baking and Cooking that uses Vanilla BeansAverage Length: Approximately 5 – 6 Inches (13 cm – 16 cm)Color & Texture: Black or Dark Brown, Oily, Full of Black Vanilla SeedsFragrance: Strong, Full, Rich, Buttery Vanilla Aroma with Hints of Chocolate Storage: Vacuum packed/sealed bag preferred to ensure fresh beans otherwise wrapped in zip lock bag inside an air tight container such as a glass jar. Shelf Life of approximately 2 years if properly vacuum sealed.