The hot and humid forest of Chinantla, a region in the state of Oaxaca just over 100 kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico, provides a perfect environment for growing vanilla. Chinantla is the only region in the world where vanilla grows wild, as well as the area with the species' greatest genetic diversity. Here, five or six different varieties have been identified, though not all have been fully documented. The fresh vanilla bean is pulpy and bright green, grows up to 15-25 centimeters long, and contains thousands of tiny seeds. Straight after the harvest, vanilla beans are brought in the beneficio: here they are gathered in sealed bags, laid in the sunlight for 5 hours, so that they achieve a temperature of 72-75°C. This operation is called quemado. The next step is the secado: the beans are laid in the sunlight 4-5 hours a day for 15 sunny days.

---