This girl is on fire! Chilli salt from Herrliberg leaves me speechless

Darina Schweizer

30/8/2023

Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson

Pictures: Christian Walker

Salt and chilli. That’s all that goes into chilli salt made by The Art of Spice. But what makes it taste so unique? I had a sniff round their production facility on the outskirts of Zurich.

It’s getting hot in here.

The slogan on the salt’s packaging’s an omen. As I stand sweating in front of the workshops of the Martin Foundation in Herrliberg, the sun’s beating down from the sky at 33 degrees. My forecast? It’s going to be scorching soon.

Inside, people are scurrying around the production hall as busy as fire ants. The fact that they have cognitive impairments is hardly noticeable. «You’re from Galaxus, right? Why haven’t I received my jogging wristband yet?» a bubbly young lady asks me. I like her bluntness. She leads me to workgroup leader Ramona Selinger, who’s in charge of keeping twelve of 45 people busy. Small parts, food, packaging – all sorts of things are worked with in Herrliberg, as Ramona shows me on our tour.

However, I’ve come for something specific. Chilli salt. Zurich-based company The Art of Spice has it produced here in Herrliberg. And that involves all steps from sorting to sealing. Fun fact: it’s the hottest of their ten spices. And I’m about to find out what that feels like. Two overshoes and one hair net later, I step into the chilli kitchen with Ramona. Purée pro Igor, mix master Ursula and precision work professional Sandra are ready. Josef Diethelm, Managing Director of The Art of Spice, has also joined us. Here we go, then!

Like clockwork, Ramona and Igor heave two bowls of flaming red chilli peppers onto the table. «Carolina Reaper and Naga chilli,» says Josef, describing the varieties. He sources them from Switzerland, from Chilibaron in Horgen and Chilli Paradise in Pfyn. «We only use chillies that are ripe at the time of processing. That’s why the flavour of our spice can vary. The hotness, however, remains the same.» I’m about to get a taste of that.

Igor removes the stems and any damaged pods. Ramona checks them. They’re all fine. Then, the chillies are put into a blender. The pods jump about before they’re mercilessly squashed. Igor grins. When he opens the lid and he and Ramona check to see if all the chillies are crushed. Ursula gives me a nudge. «This is it,» she says, «things are about to get hot.» I don’t notice anything. Ursula must be wrong, I think to myself. At least for now.

I ask Josef if this is his day job, creating spice blends. «No, it’s what I do on the side, but with lots of passion,» he replies with a laugh. Josef has just become a dad and he works for a bank. Business partner Tim, on the other hand, is a computer scientist. They’re both crazy about travelling and enjoy being inspired by exotic dishes. They’ve been making their own spice blends for three years now. «Initially, we did everything ourselves. But after making the first 1,500 packs, we realised we needed help. When we found out about the Martin Foundation, we both knew we’d be in great hands here. Not only can we produce locally, but we can also make a difference socially,» says Josef, beaming.

Just as I’m about to dig a little deeper, there’s a tickle in my throat. I clear my throat, cough. And then I lose my voice.

It’s getting hot in here.

I’m reminded of the slogan on the box of chilli salt. I look at Ursula with tears in my eyes. «Hot, huh? In the early days, I had such a coughing fit once, I needed to step outside,» she giggles. I give her a tortured smile. This is prevented from happening in my case. Ramona hands me a face mask. I breathe a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, the chilli mousse is done. Sandra weighs out the right amount for a first batch. This kind of work is a great way for employees to improve their numeracy skills, Ramona explains. «Some of the people here have acquired a feeling of helplessness in some areas. Our job is to find out where each and every one of them has potential that can be fostered.» Ramona suddenly bounds forwards. «Stop, Sandra!» she shouts. «That was too much. Let’s put a bit back.» The two of them pour the chilli mousse into a bowl of Swiss Sel des Alpes. Sandra giggles as a splash hits her shirt. She’s not bothered one bit. Everything’s chilli milli vanilli.

Now it’s Ursula’s turn. She presses the start button on the machine that blends the chilli mousse and salt together. «This makes our chilli salt different from many others,» Josef points out. «Our chilli isn’t added as flakes, but absorbed by the salt.» That explains why the flavour’s so intense. Time for some elbow grease. Igor detaches the heavy bowl from the machine and empties the salmon-coloured salt onto a tray.

«Chilli!», Sandra exclaims with glee. It’s her turn now. She gently spreads out the chilli salt on the tray. Ramona reminds her to hold on to one of the edges. These types of tasks teach the employees to work with precision. Once Sandra’s done, she carries the tray to a cabinet where the salt will dry for two to three days. After that, it’s poured into containers, closed and sealed with a sticker and a stamp. «The sticker needs to be straight, completely straight,» Ursula stresses. «That’s true,» Josef says with a laugh, «when I tried that once, they were all higgledy-piggeldy.» – «You just need to try harder,» Ursula says mischievously.

Ursula, Sandra and Igor are a tightly knit team. Alternating with a team of three other workers, they produce 70 to 80 kilogrammes of chilli salt in one day. In addition, they box another nine spices for «The Art of Spice». Annually, around 4,500 boxes of spice leave the Martin Foundation. «This year we’ve sent out over 10,000,» Josef’s pleased to say. And new ideas are in the air. The managers are currently working on their new Berrytale blend for breakfast cereals and also on spice crisps.

It’s getting hot in here.

Gradually, my burning palate’s yearning for relief. Time to go. I say goodbye to the chilli squad. Igor, Ursula and Sandra send me off with happy waves. As I leave the Martin Foundation, a pleasant tingling aftertaste remains on my tongue. That’s when I realise that it’s not just salt and chilli that goes into chilli salt. There’s also a sprinkling of every person from the diverse group in it. As colourful as life itself. As colourful as a blend of spices. That must be the secret of its great taste.

Darina Schweizer

Senior Editor

Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.ch

I like anything that has four legs or roots. The books I enjoy let me peer into the abyss of the human psyche. Unlike those wretched mountains that are forever blocking the view – especially of the sea. Lighthouses are a great place for getting some fresh air too, you know? more

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