Nyanza Vanilla Powder

Our Nyanza Vanilla Powder is made simply from fresh whole pods that are ground into an intensely flavorful, easy-to-use powder. There are 6 whole vanilla pods in each jar of powder! And, it's ready right out of the jar—no chopping, scraping or waiting around for extract required.

This is the same vanilla we carry in whole pods and chopped pods for our extract kit. It's 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.

What makes the powder special is its powerful, rich flavor. You get a beautiful combination of the sweet, marshmallow-y vanilla seeds and the tart-cherry and apricot notes of the outer husk. The result is an intensely flavorful vanilla powder that is unlike anything else out there.

This powder is versatile for baking, cold brews, smoky-spicy rubs, slow-and-low braises, balsamic vinaigrette, decadent smoothies and warming libations. Simply use half to an equal amount of powder in place of vanilla extract for alcohol-free, pure vanilla flavor. 

• Origin: Kagera, Tanzania
  
• Process: Sun-dried and cured in wooden boxes, then ground
• Ingredients: Vanilla planifolia, ground
• Tasting notes: Toasted Hazelnut • Dates • Tannins

COOKING

• Substitute for vanilla extract 1:1 in baking, or use half for savory applications
• Use in baking or ice creams for beautiful flavor and black flecks
• Nyanza Vanilla Muffins or Quick Bread
• Vanilla Balsamic Dressing
• Pairs well with: Morogoro Cacao Powder, Wild Mesquite, Stone Nutmeg

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 vanilla vines, vanilla flowers and Gosbert, one of our partner farmers in Tanzania.