Pompona Vanilla is an extremely rare species of vanilla, and ours is wild-harvested in the Peruvian Amazon. You've never had vanilla like this before. Just like our wildly popular Nyanza Vanilla Powder, this is made simply from fresh whole pods that are ground into an intensely flavorful, easy-to-use powder. There are 2–3 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.
What makes the powder special is its powerful, rich flavor. You've never had vanilla like this before, a beautiful combination of flavors from bitter and chocolate-y to dried cherry and dark rum. A slight bitterness is characteristic of Pompona vanilla and represents some of the flavor compounds found in Pompona that you don't find in standard Planifolia vanilla.
This powder is versatile for baking, cold brews, smoky-spicy rubs, slow-and-low braises, balsamic vinaigrette, decadent smoothies and warming libations. Simply use an equal amount of powder in place of vanilla extract for alcohol-free, pure vanilla flavor.
Looking for Pompona vanilla extract kits? We've got 'em here.
Vanilla trio:
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Sweet, classic vanilla flavor, with a beautiful date-tannin aroma.Ingredients:
Vanilla planifolia, ground
=- 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
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Rich, nuanced vanilla powder, with notes of cacao and honey, from small producers in Papantla, Mexico.Ingredients:
Vanilla planifolia, powdered whole pods
- Sub 1:1 for vanilla extract in any recipe
- Add to ice cream, pudding, whipped cream and frostings
- Sprinkle into coffee and tea
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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. Add your favorite spirit, salt or sugar to fill the jar.Ingredients:
Vanilla planifolia, chopped pod
Highlights
Ingredients
Vanilla pompona pods
Cooking tips
- 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
SOURCING
If a regular vanilla pod is like a string bean, Pompona Vanilla is like a sugar snap — bigger, fatter, sweeter and fuller of flavor.
These incredibly rare, wild (literally and figuratively) pods come from the Peruvian Amazon. Wild vanilla is virtually unheard of, and impossible outside of vanilla's native range, from Mexico to northern South America.
Vanilla orchids are only pollinated by a couple of species of bee, which only live in the Americas. All commercial Vanilla planifolia (most of which is grown in Madagascar) has to be hand-pollinated by the farmer once per year when the flowers bloom for just 3-5 hours.
Pompona Vanilla is pollinated by a single species called the dilemma orchid bee (amazing) and is then ripened and split on the vine, then ground to a powder.