Fleur de sel with vanilla

How to Use Vanilla Fleur de Sel in Your Dishes?

Explore the Sweet and Savory Flavors of this Essential Kitchen Blend

Vanilla fleur de sel is regularly used by team members who appreciate the sweet-savory touch it brings. For example, sprinkle a few pinches of vanilla fleur de sel on cookies before baking them (a recipe tested and widely approved internally!)

How to Use Vanilla Fleur de Sel?

Our recipe ideas for using vanilla fleur de sel in your kitchen:

• vanilla-flavored scallop carpaccio: sprinkle your scallop carpaccio with vanilla fleur de sel before letting it rest for a few minutes;
• melon with vanilla fleur de sel: after cutting your melon, sprinkle it with vanilla fleur de sel and enjoy;
• homemade vanilla fleur de sel butter: add 2 teaspoons of vanilla fleur de sel to your butter, then mix and shape your butter as desired;
• vanilla-flavored cookies: add 1 teaspoon of vanilla fleur de sel to your cookie dough, then at the end of baking, sprinkle 1 pinch of vanilla fleur de sel on your cookies;
• vanilla-flavored tomato salad: after cutting your tomatoes, sprinkle them with vanilla fleur de sel;
• chocolate tart with vanilla fleur de sel: once your tart is ready to serve, sprinkle the vanilla fleur de sel on top;
• sweet potato with vanilla fleur de sel: cut your sweet potatoes in half and bake them. Once cooked, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a few pinches of vanilla fleur de sel;
• homemade vanilla-flavored mashed potatoes: in making your homemade mashed potatoes, replace the regular salt with vanilla fleur de sel.

The Gentle Aromas of Vanilla Fleur de Sel

The very floral nose of vanilla and its subtle aromatic notes of anise and exotic fruits reveal the subtle aromas of fleur de sel. A blend that is both sweet and savory in perfect balance.

A Refined Blend from the Islands

Terre Exotique has created a delicate fleur de sel with gentle vanilla notes. It pairs so well with fish, white meats, or even sweet recipes. This blend will surely take you on a journey...

Madagascar's Fleur de Sel, a Delicate Jewel from the Salines of Ifaty

In Ifaty, in the Southwest of the island of Madagascar, are the salt marshes that give this delicious salt. The seawater contained in these clayey basins evaporates under the joint action of the wind and the sun. The result is this fleur de sel that is not collected with a rake, but picked by hand with delicacy. This is how its light and airy texture can be preserved without breaking it.

Madagascar Vanilla, a Treasure Trove of Flavors

Vanilla is actually an orchid called Vanillia planifolia. Its cultivation requires great attention and a certain delicacy. It is a vine that leans on a tree serving as a tutor. This tree is usually a mango or avocado tree.

Vanilla only blooms three years after planting, and it takes another eight months for the pod to ripen before it can be harvested.

How is Madagascar Vanilla Made?

The preparation of vanilla is very laborious because it is done entirely by hand. For example, the flowers are pollinated by hand, which requires a lot of rigor, patience, and love.

Once the pods are harvested, they are first scalded and steamed. Then they are dried in the sun for two weeks and then flattened by hand.

Finally, there is a second drying stage, lasting eight months in crates, which preserves the powerful aromas of vanilla. Finally, comes the calibration stage, which determines the category of each pod. Terre Exotique only offers high-quality vanilla, either Gourmet or TK range depending on the products.

Where Does Vanilla Fleur de Sel Come From?

Vanilla and the Manual Know-How It Requires

Vanilla originates from Mexico, where the Aztecs used it to sweeten the bitterness of chocolate. This "black flower" was introduced by Cortes in 1521. Later, Louis XIV fell in love with it and wanted to grow it on Bourbon Island, also known as Reunion Island. The vine bloomed but bore no fruit because it needed to be pollinated by a wasp that only existed in Mexico. No one knew how to pollinate it until 1850 when Edmond, a young slave from Bourbon Island, understood this process by pricking and shaking the flower. To thank him, he was freed, and the young man took the name of freedom Albius, in reference to the white color of the orchid.

Today, pollination is still done by hand by women called "matchmakers." During the flowering period, which lasts only a few days, they can pollinate up to a thousand flowers a day. This entirely manual process explains the preciousness of Madagascar vanilla and allows us to savor it more in our recipes!

Madagascar Fleur de Sel and Its History

The nickname of the Island of Madagascar is "Africa with Asian eyes." Its salt marshes are far from any pollution, in Ifaty, southwest of the island. Since always, the fleur de sel of Ifaty has been harvested by the Vezo, an ethnic group of fishermen living on this side of the island. Originally, this ethnic group lived from fishing, but gradually the island's resources decreased, so they began to harvest the fleur de sel of Ifaty, pure and immaculate, because only they possess the know-how of this harvest.

Other Frequently Asked Questions About Vanilla Fleur de Sel

What is the Difference Between Salt and Fleur de Sel?

Salt and fleur de sel differ in their texture, taste, and production process.

Ordinary salt is extracted from salt mines or seawater and is then refined to remove impurities. Fleur de sel, on the other hand, is harvested by hand from seawater in specific areas where natural crystallization occurs, forming a thin layer of crystals on the water's surface. The crystals are then carefully harvested by hand before being dried in the sun.

In terms of texture, ordinary salt has a fine and uniform texture, while fleur de sel has a coarser and more granular texture. Fleur de sel is also moister than ordinary salt, giving it a crunchier texture when added to food.

In terms of taste, ordinary salt has a stronger salty taste, while fleur de sel has a sweeter and more subtle taste.

In terms of nutritional value, fleur de sel contains natural minerals that can be beneficial for health, while ordinary salt is usually refined to remove these minerals.