Beginnings
For my eighth grade skills-based project, I decided to learn about entrepreneurship by starting a small-batch, lacto-fermented hot sauce business. My mom, Anjali Shah, has been making a lacto-fermented hot sauce for about ten years and inspired me to create Just Fresno + Salt.
The Journey
For the last two years, I have been going to Blue Star Farm, an organic farm about 30 minutes from my house in Chatham, NY, to pick up a new batch of organic Fresno peppers. I slice them into 1 cm pieces, throw away the tips and stems, and add 3.5% of their weight in kosher salt. I pack the peppers into jars, push them under the brine, and leave them in a cool, dark place for about two weeks before blending them into hot sauce.
Over time, I’ve kept experimenting with different salt levels, extra flavors like garlic and ginger, longer fermentation times, and even other peppers like cherry bombs. After trying these variations, I still come back to my original method—Fresno peppers, 3.5% salt, and two weeks of fermentation with no extra ingredients—as the best-tasting process for Just Fresno + Salt.
Contact
ishaan@justfresno.com
