Fresh salsa is delicious, but it can be leveled up by fermenting it to create another layer of flavor. The process of fermentation melds the ingredients together and gives the salsa an effervescence that otherwise wouldn’t exist.
I’ve been told by some people lacking fermentation experience that when they think about fermentation, they often think of it as leaving food out on the counter to rot. That’s actually the opposite of what’s happening. Although the food does partially break down when fermented, it’s becoming preserved.
The bacteria that naturally occurs converts the sugar in the produce into lactic acid. The lactic acid creates an acidic environment, which then allows the good bacteria to thrive while keeping any harmful bacteria at bay. This process creates probiotics, the healthy-belly bacteria that we all hear so much about….