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Laie Vanilla Beans

Name: Laie Vanilla Beans
Brand: Spice Tribe
Price: 17.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Creamy, Floral, Sweet

$17.99

With its tropical aroma and subtle hints of honey, caramel and chocolate, there's nothing quite like vanilla beans that hail from Hawaii. Ours come from the Laie Vanilla Company, a small family farm in the Koolauloa District on the island of Oahu. A type of orchid (and plain looking by orchid standards), vanilla flowers will ultimately produce the coveted beans that can be used to enhance the flavor profile of a variety of sweet goods such as cookies, cakes and ice cream. But you can also use the beans in savory dishes to add a subtle background note (think seafood sauces, poultry and pasta dishes). Simply cut the vanilla bean pod down the middle lengthwise, then scrape out the seeds inside. Save the empty pod to infuse your favorite cocktail with the taste of vanilla or make your own vanilla extract.

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Small Pouch Net Weight: 2 beans

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Ingredients

Origin

Oahu, Hawaii

A health scare prompted Saili Levi to reevaluate his life and change his career path to allow him to spend more time with his wife and three daughters. Working for a water company during the day and taking courses at BYU at night, Levi considered several business ideas, from growing mushrooms to renting party tents and bouncy houses. One day, while at work, he and a coworker noticed some vanilla plants growing. They decided to take a few vines home and see if they'd take root.

After hours of research and a trial-and-error process, Levi became a master at growing vanilla. The process is very long and laborious, which is probably why vanilla is one of the priciest spices in the world. A vanilla plant takes several years to achieve its first bloom and, from then on, produces just one flower a year. From January to March, the plants are dormant, and from March to August, the flowering period begins. Flowers only bloom for two to four hours early in the morning and must be hand-pollinated (since there aren't any natural pollinators in Hawaii) before withering away.

The harvesting begins from August to December, when the pods are cut, separated, and readied for blanching. They're cured in hot water, then wrapped in towels. Next, the pods are stored in an insulated box for two days, then placed in the sun for an hour, then wrapped back up and set in the insulated box for another 23 hours. This entire process is repeated over and over again for about a month.

Tips for Success

Using a sharp knife, cut the vanilla bean lengthwise down the center, leaving one end intact to split the vanilla bean. Use the back of the knife to scrape out the tiny seeds inside the bean.
Vanilla beans can be added to liquid ingredients like milk, cream, or custard to infuse them with flavor. Add the split vanilla bean and seeds to the liquid, then heat it gently until it comes to a simmer. Remove the mixture from heat and let it sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the vanilla flavor to infuse.
Use vanilla beans in baking to add a unique and fragrant flavor. Add the scraped-out seeds to your dough or batter to give your baked goods a delicious vanilla flavor.

FAQ

How old are these spices?

We purchase what we need every year right after the spices are harvested. These spices are as fresh as you can get. They are not sitting in a warehouse for multiple years. The oldest spices we carry will be one year old compared to the commodity market which warehouses spices for 10+ years before selling them to you.

Are these spices certified organic?

Unfortunately we do not have any certifications at this time but most of our spices are organically grown and all of them are non gmo. Each ingredient can be traced back to its origin. Email support@spicetribe.com for any questions.

Do you have recipes to go with these blends?

Yes! We have an ever expanding recipe library of chef tested recipes. Please shoot us an email if there are any recipes you would like to see at support@spicetribe.com.