*While we were very excited to pack our vanilla in bamboo tubes, we've gotten feedback that some of the tubes didn't hold an airtight seal, drying out the vanilla pods after packaging. The vanilla is still exceptionally fragrant and excellent in homemade extracts or ground into powder, despite being dry and brittle. We have reduced the price to reflect the more limited use of the dry pods.*
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.
Nyanza Vanilla comes in a biodegradable, sustainably-grown bamboo tube that holds two dry Extract Grade vanilla pods. The pods are dry and will work well for powder, homemade extracts and infusing into sugar.
Grind the whole pods in a coffee grinder for ice cream, custards and other rich desserts, or break them into pieces and let them infuse into the alcohol of your choice for homemade vanilla extract.
We recommend putting your Nyanza Vanilla Pods in a zippered bag when they arrive to preserve freshness.
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Origin: Kagera, Tanzania
- Process: Sun-dried during the day, cured in wooden boxes overnight
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Ingredients: 100% Vanilla planifolia, whole pod, dried
- Tasting notes: Toasted Hazelnut • Dates • Tannins
COOKING
- Split, scrape and add to your ice cream base, fruit jams or puddings before cooking
- Drop a vanilla pod into your favorite spirit, then add sugar and instant coffee to make a homemade Tia Maria
- Bury spent pods in sugar to make vanilla sugar
- Pairs well with: Pemba Cloves, Stone Nutmeg, Cinnamon Verum
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.
- Reviews
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- vanilla
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- vanilla extract
- aroma
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United StatesIt was difficult because it was dry, although the flavor was good. I’m going to try to make extract with the other bean.
United StatesWe are very happy with both the products (we ordered the full set of spices) and with the service (very friendly and responsive).
United StatesMy vanilla arrived quickly. The beans are plump and moist and smell like perfection. They're bursting with seeds, and I save the scraped out pods in sugar. The flavor is fantastic. The pod infused sugar is great in drinks, on scones, in whipped cream. The seeds themselves are excellent in pound cake and mind blowing in ice cream.
United StatesI am a huge fan of fresh vanilla pods (especially since I am alcohol sensitive and cannot use extracts). I recently ordered these and, upon opening the tube, found them to be completely dry and brittle – impossible to split open and scrape the fragrant middle seeds/paste. Very disappointing. I simply had to break them up and grind the entire pods to powder using a spice grinder which yields a subpar result. Thank you for updating the product description to reflect that actual condition of these pods, but will not be ordering them again.
United Statesthese are the best beans i’ve come across in a long while, and the price point is fantastic. i don’t see any issue with using them dry; i prefer it this way as the pods & seeds are less oily and it makes it easier to get them into your recipe and not sticking to the cutting board. i use mine mainly for vanilla syrup & custards, and all my taste-testers are very pleased.
