The harvested unripe pods, which have neither aroma nor taste, are put into hot water, heated, and then cooled to activate the appropriate enzymes. Once removed from the water, the vanilla pods are wrapped in cloths and placed in a hot and humid room for about a week so that the fermentation process can take place. The pods begin to turn brown. They are then dried in the sunlight. Thanks to natural processes, the pods lose up to half their weight, become shiny, and are covered with characteristic wrinkles. The canes are wrapped in cloths for each night to retain the heat accumulated during the day. This process takes 1.5 months, after which the vanilla develops its aromatic power. After drying in the sun, there is a stage of drying in the shade with free access to air.
