"A big taste difference": market gardeners launch the sale of vanilla produced in Brittany

In Paimpol (Côtes-d'Armor), known for its shellfish and white beans, a new crop could well expand its reputation: vanilla . Pierre Guyomar, a market gardener, planted his first vanilla plant five years ago. A carefully preserved harvest that can bring in big profits, up to 1,000 euros per kilo. Vanilla cultivation is a meticulous task. From start to finish, everything is done by hand, including the pollination of the flower.

Along with two other market gardeners, Pierre Guyomar embarked on a crazy project: growing vanilla in a temperate zone. The undergrowth plant, which fears direct sunlight, found refuge in the tomato growers' old greenhouses. "We don't have extreme temperatures in winter and summer, so it adapts well to the Breton climate," he explained.

This is the first year that this vanilla has been marketed. At the restaurant Les Hauts de Kerano, the chef and his pastry chef are won over by this ingredient, which they have incorporated into one of their desserts. "You can really taste the vanilla," says the former, while the latter notes "a real contrast between Breton vanilla and vanilla from Madagascar or Tahiti, a big difference in taste."

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