The Savvy Gourmet

Agave Nectar from The Mexican Vanilla Plantation

Most people are familiar with maple syrup, which is made from maple sap (Acer saccharum, mainly).

But there are many other plants whose sap gives delicious syrups: birch, palm, and sugar cane, to name a few. Their properties and tastes may differ considerably from one to another.

Agave syrup (or nectar) comes from the salmiana agave (Agave salmiana). As its sweetening power is higher than that of sugar, much less of it is required.

Scented with real vanilla pods, agave nectar from The Mexican Vanilla Plantation is an exotic delight.

Source:

Agave Nectar in Wikipedia.

Eight Facts about Agave Nectar in Fooducate blog.

Producers in the Spotlight - Canadian Maple Delights

In 1925, 102 Quebec producers created a cooperative to stand up to the monopoly of buyers whose demands were jeopardizing the maple syrup market, marking the beginning of the Citadelle Maple Syrup Producers’ Cooperative. Today more than 2400 producers are part of the cooperative.

In the early 1970s, Citadelle launched a new concept for the production and sale of top-quality products with the Canadian Maple Delights Gourmet Bistro & Shoppe brand, with a first boutique in Vancouver in 1999.

This Citadelle trademark is their flagship for products of highest possible quality in high-end packaging.

Vanilla Pods from The Mexican Vanilla Plantation

Vanilla is the only orchid that bears fruit. The first to cultivate vanilla were the Totonac people, who inhabit the Mazantla Valley on the Gulf Coast of Mexico in the present-day state of Veracruz. it is now grown in many other parts of the globe.

There are more than 100 species of vanilla but only 3 are edible: Vanilla planifolia (Madagascar-Bourbon vanilla) is by far the most important commercial species, Vanilla tahitensis grown in the South Pacific (Tahiti and Papua New Guinea mainly) and Vanilla pompona in the West Indies, Central and South America.

Vanilla is the second most expensive spice in the world, next to saffron. Why? Because extensive labour is required to grow and cure the vanilla seed pods. The plants must be hand-pollinated on the morning that they bloom. The pods must remain on the vine for nine months to mature. Upon harvesting the beans go through a lengthy curing process in which they develop their signature flavour and aroma.

The vanilla beans (Vanilla planifolia) produced by The Mexican Vanilla Plantation are organic and fair trade certified and of the highest quality on the market. They are packaged in glass vials to keep their freshness and aromas.

The Mexican Vanilla Plantation is part of Zócalo Gourmet, a division of the Culinary Collective, importers of gourmet cultural foods.

Read more in:

Report on The Mexican Vanilla Plantation vanilla bean & extract by Rooted Foods.

Vanilla in Wikipedia.

ADC Commercialisation Bulletin #1 – Vanilla by Uganda’s Agribusiness Development Centre.

Maple Syrup Jelly from Canadian Maple Delights

There are many ways to enjoy maple syrup, and one uncommon but delicious way is in jelly form – perfect for spreading on toast, croissants or bread without spilling it everywhere.

Consume this maple syrup jelly without moderation!