Whole Nyanza Vanilla Beans Are Back in Stock 🧁

Nyanza Vanilla Bean two-packs are back in stock! Our grade A pods impart that classic vanilla flavor with a blooming date-tannin aroma and notes of roasty toasty hazelnut. Each pair comes individually sealed to retain freshness with a gorgeous bamboo storage tube. Our customer Susan explains the immediate upgrade fresh vanilla brings to baked goods: “they brought incredible depth of flavor and intoxicating vanilla aroma to the apple cake I made. So far beyond what a teaspoon of vanilla extract can offer.”

What makes these plump pods extra special? They’re the freshest you can get, with no time spent lingering on store shelves. Fresh vanilla beans taste the most potent. Their flavor is creamier than an extract, and they impart the iconic black flecks you may have seen in French vanilla ice cream.

Our vanilla is unlike any you’ve had. It’s grown around the hills of Nyanza, Tanzania, where the high altitude, rich soil and temperate climate produce an especially rich, sweet vanilla fruit. They grow on a flowering vine that can take up to a decade to produce. Each orchid is hand-pollinated and once the pods emerge, they grow in bunches like bananas do. It can take six to nine months to ripen on the vine and to develop their iconic complex and rich aroma. Once they’re ready, they’re sun-dried and placed in wooden boxes to cure overnight.

With this much care in the farming and harvesting process, we very much encourage you to use the whole pod, even after you’ve cooked with it. Stick your used pods in our Panela Cane Sugar or Golden Crystal Turbinado to make vanilla sugar. Stir it around occasionally to distribute the flecks. You can also make homemade vanilla extract. Simply steep used pods in any strong alcohol of your choice.

How do I use Nyanza Vanilla Beans?

Nyanza Vanilla Beans pack a lot of flavor in each fragrant pod. To use them, slice down the length of it with a sharp paring knife to expose the soft interior. Scrape the pod at an angle with your knife and you’ll gather up the “caviar” on the edge. When you encounter vanilla in recipes, keep in mind that one vanilla bean is equal to one tablespoon of extract, paste or powder.

• Use vanilla beans when you want to feature a forward vanilla flavor that can shine strongly on its own. Add a dab to your smoothies, oatmeal, iced coffee, ice cream bases, cake, frosting, puddings, whipped cream, flans and crème brûlées. When vanilla is a supporting actor, it pairs well with stone fruit and chocolate. We especially like it in Rebecca Firkser’s sweet cherry and lime galette.

• Jenn from our team loves the vanilla butter recipe from Anna Hezel’s cookbook Tin to Table. Anna pairs it on a crostini with high quality Cantabrian anchovy fillet. It sounds unlikely, but the creamy butter melds well with the salty fish. Jenn also suggests making brown butter with a pinch of our Ground Laurel Bay Leaves, let it cool and fold in vanilla at the end for an easy flavor booster for cookie recipes or brush it onto delicately poached chicken.

• In beverages, vanilla pairs well with creamy white and sparkling wines as well as rich aged bourbon. Anything with an almond or chocolate note will also harmonize with vanilla.

For the serious bakers out there, make sure you never run out of vanilla with our large 30-pod container.