NutraCast: How Sally Schimko brought the Tahini Goddess to life

28-May-2021 - Last updated on 28-May-2021 at 16:35 GMT

Related tags sesame sesame allergy tahini nutracast

When she discovered that the tahini sold in the US was manufactured using “modern machinery,” Sally Schimko, a native Israeli, was inspired to launch her own business.

Schimko creates millstone-grounded and sustainably sourced tahini and sugar free halva—the old fashioned way.

“I have to be honest with you and the Tahini Goddess wouldn't have happened without my audience. The only reason I created it was because they asked for it. I thought about making my own tahini because of all the DMs that I would get in my Instagram,” explained Schimko, who already had a loyal following pre-Tahini Goddess. “I always knew that I wanted to do something but I didn't know what. And as a full-time mom, I decided to put myself out there with my blog and see where is it going to take me.”

Schimko’s Tahini Goddess journey led her around the world—to two different continents.

“Our sesame seeds are from Ethiopia, to be specific from [the city of] Humera. So after sourcing it from the origin, we ship them to our factory in Israel. It's very much the old fashioned way of how you manufacture tahini. I am so proud of it. It took me a while to get there and to understand how we can make it happen, but we were doing it,” explained Schimko.

She explained that most factories, even in Israel, ground sesame seeds with the skin on at very high temperatures.

Tahini Goddess uses a millstone grounding process in which it roasts the sesame seeds on a very low heat in order to keep all the nutritional benefits. The seeds contain natural antioxidants, which help fight oxidative stress and inflammation. They also contain a good amount of calcium and magnesium, which may help lower blood pressure. Schimko said she also removes the seeds’ skin for easier digestion.

For the time being, the Tahini Goddess is enjoying playing around with new flavors in her kitchen, which is often documented on social media.

“It's always hard to translate your thoughts and more than your thoughts, your emotion. I am very emotional and sensitive and I love to share it. And then if you get support and love, then you are more confident of sharing more of it,” said Schimko. “That's how I roll.”

To learn more about the tahini process and what happens in Schimko’s kitchen, listen to the NutraCast.

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