Join herbalist and food preserver Jess for a fiery, flavorful dive into the art and science of fermentation! In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to transform peppers and mustard seeds into probiotic-rich condiments that pack a punch.

Whether you’re brand new to fermenting or looking to spice up your kitchen skills, you’ll leave with two ferments in progress, recipes, supplies, and the confidence to finish and flavor them at home.

What You'll Learn:

• Fermentation Foundations: Understand the principles of lactic acid fermentation and how they apply to condiments like hot sauce and mustard.
  
• Essential Tools & Ingredients: Explore the tools, brines, and flavor combinations needed for successful ferments.
  
• Hands-On Experience: Make your own jar of fermented peppers (for hot sauce) and a jar of fermented mustard seeds.
  
• Processing & Flavoring: Learn how to turn your ferments into finished hot sauce and custom mustards once they’re ready. Jess will demo flavor variations including horseradish mustard, honey mustard, ginger mustard, and IPA mustard.
  
• Troubleshooting & Safety: Learn to recognize healthy fermentation, avoid common pitfalls, and keep your creations safe and delicious.
  
• Tasting: Sample a variety of hot sauces and mustards prepared by Jess for inspiration.
  

What You’ll Take Home:

• One jar of fermenting peppers (to blend into hot sauce at home)
  
• One jar of fermenting mustard (to process into your own flavored mustard at home)
  
• Recipes, handouts, and the know-how to finish your ferments after about 2 weeks
  
• Ideas for turning your condiments into perfect holiday gifts
  

Who Should Attend:

This workshop is perfect for beginners and food lovers alike! If you’re curious about fermentation, love bold flavors, or want to create delicious, gut-friendly gifts in time for the holidays, this class is for you.

Class Includes:

• Be Your Own Brine Babe Fermentation Kit (Jar, glass weight, airlock, silicone lid, salt, seasoning, instructions)
  
• Organic peppers, mustard seeds, and herbs
  
• Extra handouts and recipes
  

Bring With You:

• Large mixing bowl
  
• Knife & cutting board
  

Takeaways:

By the end of the workshop, you’ll:

• Have two ferments underway (hot sauce & mustard)
  
• Know how to process and flavor them after 2 weeks
  
• Be able to make creative variations for gifts or your own table
  
• Leave with the confidence to keep fermenting at home
  

Time:  Class is from 1-4pm on Saturday, October 11th at Gathering Thyme.  Spots are limited — sign up early to claim your place in this spicy, hands-on workshop!

Cost:  $80 plus a $40 materials fee (cash) payable to Jess at start of class.  Students bring home products made in class along with the appropriate fermentation vessels and extensive handouts for making product at home.

Jessica “Jess” Seevers is an herbalist, fermentation educator, and longtime community builder based in Sebastopol. With over a decade of experience working with plants and food traditions, she specializes in teaching approachable, hands-on methods for creating probiotic-rich ferments at home. Jess’s workshops mix practical tips with fascinating history and plenty of laughter, making fermentation fun and accessible for beginners and seasoned makers alike. When she’s not in the kitchen, she’s facilitating a local self-directed learning center and working in a virtual, low-cost herbal clinic as a clinical herbalist.