ABSTRACT
Vanilla came to Bourbon Island, now known as Reunion Island, at the dawn of the nineteenth century, from Central America, on the other side of the planet. The genius of a 12-year-old black slave transformed the fruitless orchid into a pod-bearing source of opulence. Reunionese (inhabitants of Reunion) industriousness brought out the best of its fragrance. Toward the end of the century, it invested new shores; the adjacent islands of the Indian Ocean. International recognition was obtained through the quality label bestowed during 1964-Bourbon vanilla.
