Costa Rica Vanilla Beans - Whole Grade A Hybrid Vanilla Pods for Vanilla Extract and Baking

Flavor Profile: Large hybrid vanilla beans consisting of the Planifolia x Pompona species, with the aroma of a smooth butter and a sweet honey . A truly pleasant profile that reminds of us of the ocean shores. 

Hybrid Vanilla Beans from Planifolia x Pompona x Planifoilia

Introducing our exquisite Vanilla Beans from the lush and fertile regions of Costa Rica – a true delight for discerning palates seeking the finest in gourmet ingredients. Harvested with precision and care, our Vanilla Beans boast a unique flavor profile that sets them apart from the rest.

Grown in the rich volcanic soil of Costa Rica, our vanilla orchids thrive in the perfect combination of tropical climate and optimal altitude. This ideal environment imparts a distinctive and aromatic essence to our beans, making them a standout choice for chefs, bakers, and food enthusiasts alike.

Each Vanilla Bean is handpicked at the peak of maturity, ensuring a robust and full-bodied flavor that will elevate your culinary creations. The beans are plump, moist, and filled with thousands of tiny vanilla seeds that promise a symphony of sweet, creamy, and floral notes in every dish.

Vanilla beans originated in Mexico and are sun cured for months using the traditional drying method. They are now found all over the world from places like Madagascar to Indonesia to Papa New Guinea PNG farms. Gourmet Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans are the highest quality beans in the world and have an incredible flavor profile. The scent consists of a heavenly buttery aroma with a rich, black or dark brown color and an oily outside surface. The interior of the bean is where the magic is at and consists of millions of black, tiny vanilla seeds that are waiting to be scraped out.

Our beans are traditionally cured to develop the full, complex vanilla flavor made of over 200 organic compounds that artificial vanilla (Natural Vanilla Flavor WONF) cannot properly replicate. The entire process takes anywhere from 6 to 9 months after pollination and our farmers have turned vanilla processing and curing into a true art. 

Our grade A vanilla beans are ~5 - 7 inches in length and are handpicked to ensure proper qualities. There are so many recipes that can be created with these magical beans! They are perfect for making homemade vanilla extract or KAHLUA, home cooking or baking, desserts such as vanilla bean ice cream, cake, cupcakes, or cookies and are a top choice of professional chefs for making desserts such as Creme Brulee. Our beans are also a top pick for home brewers or those who own a brewery! Homemade KAHLUA or Vanilla extract is also a very popular gift and can be made using a simple vodka infusion method! Bonus points for using the spent vanilla beans after the extract making process for creating vanilla sugar!

You can also follow these instructions to learn how to open, split, and scrape a whole vanilla bean!

 Our beans are triple inspected throughout the beans journey from Costa Rica to the United States. First, they are inspected by our farmers who have hundreds of years of wisdom and experience growing these gourmet pods.  The second inspection is before bulk vacuum sealing for transport and to ensure no mold has developed. The final inspection is done at our warehouse moments before packing your shipment. We check the smell, quality, and appearance if any mold has developed a final time. Once all of these are checked, we vacuum seal our vanilla beans in our beautiful custom industrial vacuum pouch to a tight 28 HG vacuum.   

• Traditionally Cured Gourmet Costa Rican Vanilla Beans from 2023-2024 Crop
• Average Length: Approximately 5 – 7 Inches (15 cm – 18 cm)
  
• Color & Texture: Black or Dark Brown, Oily, Full of Black Vanilla Seeds

Storage: Vacuum packed/sealed bag preferred to ensure fresh beans otherwise wrapped in zip lock bag inside an air tight container such as a glass jar. Shelf Life of approximately 2 years if properly vacuum sealed.

If you have any more questions, be sure to check out our Vanilla FAQ for all the answers!