What’s the Deal with Hot Honey?

By now you have surely heard of Hot Honey.  It is literally everywhere!  It may seem like it appeared overnight, but it can actually be traced to regions where honey and chilli peppers are staples in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia.  These regions have long combined sweet and spicy flavours in their cooking. While not always in the exact form of hot honey as we know it today, the concept of balancing sweetness with heat has been woven into these cuisines for centuries.

Where it all started

Our obsession here in the United States can be traced back to 2003 when a college student named Mike Kurtz discovered chili-infused honey in Brazil.  He brought the idea back to the United States, and popularized it on pizza.  He experimented with his own recipes and eventually began working as an apprentice at Paulie Gee’s in Brooklyn.  This is where things really took off.  Customers loved this hot honey  drizzled on a soppressata pizza ( premium, dry-cured Italian salami).  Hot honey became a cult favorite.    

Why we can’t get enough

Food fads come and go but this one seems to be sticking around.  The secret behind hot honey lies in science.  How we perceive flavour at the chemical level.  

The Sweet

Honey’s sweet taste comes from two primary sugars, fructose and glucose, which dissolve easily in water, making it easy to mix. Honey also contains trace minerals, enzymes, and unique compounds depending on what flowers the bees visit. On a chemical level, honey’s natural sugars engage receptors on our taste buds, sending signals of sweet goodness and pleasure to our brain. 

The Hot

To make hot honey, chili peppers are introduced.  Chili peppers contain a kick called capsaicin. This compound activates sensory neurons (TRPVI receptors)  in your mouth that detect heat.  Your brain interprets the capsaicin as heat, although the actual temperature of the food remains the same. This mild discomfort releases endorphins, our brain's natural feel-good chemicals, this is why we find eating spicy food so addictive.

The Magic 

The magic happens when honey and chili are paired together.  The sweetness of honey counteracts and balances the burn of the chili peppers. Sweet molecules block some of the TRPV1 receptors, preventing the spice from becoming overwhelming. This leaves just enough of the chili’s warmth creating a balanced flavour profile.  The flavour is stimulating but not overpowering.

Hot honey is a sensory experience of both intense and comforting flavours.  This appeal of hot honey goes beyond taste; it taps into the way our brains are wired to process complex and contrasting flavours.  

The combination is often called “swicy” (sweet and spicy).  Additionally, its simplicity makes it accessible to a wide range of people. You can purchase hot honey or make it yourself.  

Hot honey is known for elevating the most basic foods to a complex treat. While it's most famously known for being drizzled over pizza (especially pepperoni), it can also be used on: 

• Fried chicken and biscuits

• Roasted vegetables or grilled salmon

• Cocktails

• Chicken Sandwiches or chicken salad

• Charcuterie boards, cheeses, and cornbread 

Hot honey highlights rather than overpowers the ingredients it pairs with.

We are drawn to contrasts. Sweet and spicy are opposite on the flavour wheel, but when combined, they bring out the best of each other. The heat wakes up your palate, while the sweetness soothes and satisfies.  This balance is similar to how we also enjoy salty-sweet snacks. Flavour receptors thrive on variety as well as combining contrasting tastes.   

Although we don’t make hot honey you can make it with Two Chicks Honey with the recipe below.  

Ingredients

 1 cup of Two Chicks Apiary Honey

1-2 Tablespoons Crushed Red Pepper Flakes or 1-2 Fresh Diced Chili Peppers 

1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar  

Combine the Honey & Chili Peppers (or flakes) in a small saucepan over low heat 

Slowly heat the mixture until it barely simmers/steam.  DO NOT LET IT BOIL.  

Once the honey warms through, remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the mixture rest for 10 to 15 minutes to fully steep and extract the spice oils. 

Stir in the apple cider vinegar. 

If you prefer a smooth hot honey, pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean glass jar. (Leaving the peppers in yields a spicier, more intense flavor over time). 

Let the mixture cool completely before securing the lid. 

It can be stored in your cupboard for up to 4 months.