Heilala Pure Vanilla Paste

Heilala is a company born of devastation. After a huge cyclone wiped out much of the Kingdom of Tonga, New Zealander John Ross partnered with a family in the village of Utungake to create a vanilla plantation that is run by Tongans and integrates with the Tongan way of life. That original plantation has grown into a world-renown vanilla brand, supplying the world's most discerning chefs, including the late Gina DiPalma and L.A.'s own Ken Takayama.

The Heilala Vanilla Paste is vine-ripened Tongan Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans suspended in vanilla extract. Packed with vanilla's distinctive fruity-floral sweetness, it adds a layer of complexity when subbed for standard vanilla extract, while being less sensitive than whole vanilla beans.