Nyanza Vanilla Extract Kit

*Recommended by The Washington Post*

Our Nyanza Vanilla is grown in the hills around Nyanza (aka Lake Victoria) in Tanzania, where the altitude, rich soil and temperate climate produce an especially rich, sweet vanilla.

The DIY Vanilla Extract Kit contains chopped-up, vine-ripened split pods, perfect for making your own vanilla extract. We have 10 grams of chopped vanilla and room to add 100ml of your favorite spirit.

Fill the jar with the vodka, whiskey or rum and let it infuse for at least two weeks, but it only gets better with time. Top off frequently, and use as you'd use any other vanilla extract. We also recommend spreading a small piece of plastic wrap or wax paper over the top of the jar (underneath the cap) to form an extra tight seal.

• Origin: Kagera, Tanzania
  
• Process: Sun-dried during the day, cured in wooden boxes overnight
• Ingredients: Vanilla planifolia, chopped pod
• Tasting notes: Toasted Hazelnut  • Dates • Tannins

COOKING

• Chai Spice Cake with Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting
• Pear-Anise Seed Bundt Cake
• Sweet Plantain Caramel Spice Cake
• Orange Flan with Anise Maple Caramel
• Classic Vanilla Cake
• Banana Choc Chip Walnut Muffins
• Pairs well with: Pemba Cloves, Stone Nutmeg, Royal Cinnamon

SOURCING

Vanilla is the fruit of a flowering vine. It takes as long as a decade for a vine to begin to produce fruit, and the white orchid flowers must be pollinated by hand. The pods grow in small bunches like bananas, and they take 6-9 months to ripen. After harvesting, they're cured in wooden boxes, where they turn from green to brown and develop their characteristic rich, complex aroma.

In a climate and terroir similar to that of Madagascar, they develop a deep, rich aroma and flavor. We prefer the vine-ripened pods (standard pods are often picked slightly underripe as a shortcut) for their stronger, sweeter, more concentrated flavor.

In the photos, you can see the nearly-ripe vanilla pods, the vanilla flower, and the vanilla vines.