Madagascar Magic
Products from this tiny nation make big dreams come true.
June 01, 2011
photo: Mad ImportsMadagascar is a gem lover’s paradise, with sapphires, garnets, citrines, amethysts and more. Nancy Schuring of New Jersey’s Devon Fine Jewelry fell in love with the country while gem hunting and started a scholarship foundation to help its people. These handmade pendants, a meld of rough gems and hand-molded glass, are from Devon’s Namakoo collection, which raises funds for the foundation. Namakoo means “friend” in Malagasy. Namakoo Mixed Pendants, $89. Follow the link to the Mada Store at www.thedevonfoundation.org
Good fashion meets good conscience in this adorable clutch purse. The bright, soft raffia and cotton fabric is hand-embroidered and cinched with handles carved from baobab trees. Even better, the sale of this and other Mad Imports handmade accessories help Madagascar families preserve their environment and be economically independent. Mar Y Sol Isadora Clutch, $34.99. www.madimports.net/shop.htm
Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar is a baker’s best friend. (Bourbon references the Bourbon island chain — not whiskey.) The blend of gourmet sugar and vanilla extract adds a rich, velvety flavor to pastries and cakes. But those of us who aren’t pastry chefs will surely find decadent ways to use the vanilla sugar. Simply sprinkle a teaspoon into a cup of coffee or over buttered toast. Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar, about $18. www.nielsenmassey.com and www.williams-sonoma.com
Eighty-five percent of cocoa comes from Africa, but less than 1 percent of chocolate is made there. Madécasse Madagascar founders — Peace Corps volunteers who lived in the tiny African nation for more than a decade — bucked that trend, building their factory where the beans are grown. Each delectable bite of Madécasse chocolate directly helps the impoverished country. Madécasse Madagascar chocolate, $5.99 to $9.99. www.madecasse.com
