WORKSHOP Masters of Spice: The Global Story of Heat

Spicy doesn't always mean the same thing.

The slow burn of a chilli, the numbing sensation of Sichuan pepper and the sharp hit of mustard or wasabi are completely different experiences, caused by different molecules interacting with our bodies in different ways.

During this workshop, we'll travel through the world of heat and explore how different cultures have learned to cook with, preserve and enjoy spicy ingredients.

We'll start with chilli peppers and their journey from the Americas across the world, but we'll quickly go beyond them. We'll taste our way through different forms of heat and look at capsaicin in chillies, sanshool in Sichuan pepper and allyl isothiocyanate in mustard, horseradish and wasabi. Why does one burn your mouth while another goes straight to your nose? Why does Sichuan pepper make your lips tingle? And why do we actually enjoy any of this?

From there, we move into the kitchen.

Together we'll explore spicy condiments and preservation techniques from different parts of the world, taking inspiration from preparations such as Ghanaian shito, Yemeni zhug, Indian achar and many others. Depending on the season and ingredients available, we'll make two different spicy preparations using techniques such as fermentation, pickling, infusing or preserving in oil.

And of course, we'll taste. We'll start gently and gradually work our way through different peppers, spices, condiments and sensations. You decide how far you want to go. This isn't a competition to eat the hottest chilli possible, but a chance to understand how incredibly diverse the idea of "spicy" can be.

You'll go home with two 150 ml jars of your own condiments, plenty of ideas and hopefully a slightly different understanding of what heat can bring to food.

Practical information

Duration: approximately 2 hours
Price: €45 per person
Location: Fermenthings @ Be-Here, Rue Dieudonné Lefèvre 4, 1020 Laeken, Brussels
Languages: English, with French or Dutch translation whenever needed

No previous fermentation or cooking experience is required, just some curiosity and a willingness to taste.