This workshop was the opening session of Master of Peppers<\/strong>, a day-long deep dive into the world of spice, fermentation, and flavor exploration. Hosted at Fermenthings, the event brought together spice lovers, fermentation nerds, and curious taste chasers to experiment, taste, and create across five fire-powered workshops.<\/p>\n Harissa isn\u2019t just a condiment\u2014it\u2019s cultural memory in a jar. Born in the kitchens and spice markets of North Africa, particularly Tunisia, it carries the sunbaked heat of chilies, the perfume of freshly ground spices, and the richness of preserved tradition.<\/p>\n While commercial harissas tend to be streamlined and standardized, this workshop offered participants the chance to build their own version\u2014customized, layered, and deeply personal. We explored a blend rooted in traditional methods but adapted with smoky chipotle, sweet Spanish peppers, and the golden brightness of aj\u00ed amarillo, resulting in a paste that\u2019s as bold as it is nuanced.<\/p>\n This amount yields a small jar\u2014perfect for seasoning multiple dishes or stirring into dressings and marinades.<\/p>\n 2 dried chipotle peppers<\/strong> \u2013 for smokiness and umami depth<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2 dried Spanish red peppers<\/strong> (\u00f1ora or pimiento choricero) \u2013 for sweetness and fruity aroma<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 1 dried aj\u00ed amarillo<\/strong> \u2013 bright yellow-orange, adds tropical fruit and citrusy lift<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2 cloves garlic<\/strong> \u2013 punchy and raw<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 1 tsp cumin seeds<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n 1 tsp coriander seeds<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n 1 tsp caraway seeds<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Olive oil<\/strong> \u2013 enough to bind and blend; the quality matters<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Salt<\/strong> \u2013 start small, taste often<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Optional additions:<\/em><\/p>\n A dash of lemon zest<\/strong> or vinegar<\/strong> for brightness<\/p>\n<\/li>\n A pinch of smoked paprika<\/strong> for color and aroma<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Fresh or dried herbs (mint, thyme) for extra depth<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Want an extra layer of funk and umami? Ferment your harissa:<\/p>\n Pack it into a clean jar, leaving about 1\u20132 cm of headspace.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Drizzle a thin layer of olive oil over the top to reduce oxidation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Loosely cover and leave at room temperature for 2\u20133 days<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n You’ll see small bubbles and notice the flavor mellow and deepen.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Refrigerate afterward. It keeps for weeks and continues to evolve.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Swirl into yogurt for a smoky dip<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Rub onto roasted veggies or meats<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Stir into soups, couscous, or stews<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Mix with lemon juice and oil for a zippy vinaigrette<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Spoon on everything (no judgment)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Traditional Peppers:<\/b><\/p>\n Baklouti (Tunisia): Mild, sweet, foundational to Tunisian harissa.<\/p>\n Guajillo or Aleppo: Used in some modern variations for fruitiness or smokiness.<\/p>\n Spices:<\/b><\/p>\n Caraway: Earthy and slightly sweet, a defining flavor in Tunisian harissa.<\/p>\n Coriander: Bright and citrusy.<\/p>\n Cumin: Warm and savory.<\/p>\n Want milder heat? Sub chipotle with pasilla or guajillo.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Don\u2019t over-blend\u2014some texture adds character.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Always use a clean spoon and top with oil after opening to extend shelf life.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This workshop was the opening session of Master of Peppers, a day-long deep dive into the world of spice, fermentation, and flavor exploration. Hosted at Fermenthings, the event brought together spice lovers, fermentation nerds, and curious taste chasers to experiment, taste, and create across five fire-powered workshops. Introduction Harissa isn\u2019t just a condiment\u2014it\u2019s cultural memory […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":806,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":""},"categories":[1,51],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-other","category-recipe"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wiki.fermenthings.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ChatGPT-Image-22-jul-2025-14_30_43.png","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9WlzC-cX","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wiki.fermenthings.be\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/803","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wiki.fermenthings.be\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wiki.fermenthings.be\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wiki.fermenthings.be\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wiki.fermenthings.be\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=803"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/wiki.fermenthings.be\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/803\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":805,"href":"https:\/\/wiki.fermenthings.be\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/803\/revisions\/805"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wiki.fermenthings.be\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/806"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wiki.fermenthings.be\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=803"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wiki.fermenthings.be\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=803"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wiki.fermenthings.be\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Introduction<\/h3>\n
\nIngredients (for approx. 50g of paste)<\/em><\/h3>\n
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\n\u00a0Method<\/h3>\n
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\n\u00a0Fermentation (optional)<\/h3>\n
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\nUse It Like This<\/h3>\n
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\nUnderstanding the Ingredients<\/b><\/h3>\n
\nNotes & Tips<\/h3>\n
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