Video: All About Vanilla with Benoît Bourleton of G. Detou

I often refer to vanilla as the “salt of the pastry world,” since for bakers, vanilla often finds its way into everything we bake. Vanilla is one of the most difficult foodstuffs to grow. Each orchid flower (which only blooms one day a year) is hand-pollinated, and each pod takes months to mature. Then the pods are cured and dried, losing much of their moisture, becoming the remarkably fragrant vanilla beans that bakers love.

The process is extremely labor-intensive, making vanilla the second most expensive spice in the world, after saffron. That’s why savvy buyers stop at G. Detou when they visit Paris, for the best quality vanilla, at good prices.

Benoît Bourleton took over G. Detou a few years ago and gently revamped the shop. Gone is the separate glassed-in cashier, to make more space for customers and to stock a much bigger selection of specialty baking items. (Gone also are the clerks who may, or may not, have wanted to help you.) They also greatly increased the fresh items available in their second store, just a few steps down the block. And the team working there is helpful and friendly.

One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is the variety of vanillas on offer, which includes plump vanilla beans from Tahiti and Madagascar, as well as jars of fragrant vanilla bean paste. The vanilla selection at G. Detou is one of the primary draws for bakers and pastry chefs who shop there. Because Benoît worked as a wholesaler of vanilla, the prices in the shop are lower than elsewhere. That’s also why visitors to Paris make a stop at G. Detou to stock up.

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In the video, I discussed with Benoît how to store vanilla, which vanilla is best for baking, and why using good vanilla matters. I hope you enjoy the video!

-David

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