Hot honey has spent the past few years turning up on everything from fried chicken and pizza to biscuits and ice cream. The mix of sweet and heat became so popular it earned its own name: swicy.
The trend is not disappearing, but it is changing. Restaurants and food brands are moving beyond the familiar pairing of honey and chile peppers to create flavors that are fruity, smoky, tangy, creamy, and connected to cuisines from around the world. The goal is no longer to make food as hot as possible. It is to make the heat taste better.
k9a 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?ms:?6CD (2?E u=2G@C[ }@E 2 s2C6k^DA2?mk^9am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m$A:4J 7@@5 92D 366? A@AF=2C 7@C J62CD[ 3FE J@F?86C 5:?6CD H2?E >@C6 @7 :E] p3@FE hdT @7 C6DE2FC2?ED ?@H @776C 2E =62DE @?6 DA:4J :E6>[ 244@C5:?8 E@ >2C<6E C6D62C49 k^DA2?mkDA2? DEJ=6lQ3@I\D:K:?8i 3@C56C\3@Ij >2C8:?i _AIj A255:?8i _AIjQm7:C>k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^52E2DD6?E:2=]4@>^C6D@FC46^DA:4J\7@@5\EC6?5D^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm s2E2DD6?E:2=k^2mk^DA2?mkDA2?m] &]$] C6DE2FC2?E 492:?D 25565 fe ?6H DA:4J :E6>D 36EH66? |2C49 2?5 yF?6 a_ad 2=@?6]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%92E >:89E DF886DE 5:?6CD H2?E :?E6?D6 962E[ 3FE E96 ?F>36CD E6== 2 >@C6 :?E6C6DE:?8 DE@CJ]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^CF3:I7@@5D]4@>^EC6?5D\:?D:89ED^e\EC6?5D\7@@5D6CG:46\a_ae^QmkDA2?m#F3:I u@@5Dk^DA2?mk^2m kDA2?m7@F?5 E92E eeT @7 v6? + 4@?DF>6CD 2C6 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ AFC492D6 2 >6?F :E6> 25G6CE:D65 2D DA:4J[ 2?5 ccT H@F=5 A2J >@C6 7@C :E] pE E96 D2>6 E:>6[ fcT D2:5 E96J AC676C 2 >:=5 @C >65:F> DA:46 =6G6=]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mQx =:<6 DA:46 H96? :E 255D D@>6E9:?8 E@ E96 7@@5[ ?@E H96? :E E2<6D @G6C[Q D2:5 q6==2 qF449:@EE: k^DA2?mkDA2? DEJ=6lQ3@I\D:K:?8i 3@C56C\3@Ij >2C8:?i _AIj A255:?8i _AIjQm@7k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^I@I@36==2]4@>^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm I@I@Iq6==2k^2mk^DA2?mkDA2?m] Q!2:C:?8 962E H:E9 D@>6E9:?8 DH66E[ E2?8J @C 4C62>J >2<6D :E >F49 >@C6 :?E6C6DE:?8 2?5 =6ED J@F 24EF2==J E2DE6 6G6CJE9:?8 6=D6 @? E96 A=2E6]Qk^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m#F3:I 42==D E9:D Q4@>A=6I 962E[Q H9:49 D:>A=J >62?D A2:C:?8 DA:46 H:E9 k^DA2?mkDA2? DEJ=6lQ3@I\D:K:?8i 3@C56C\3@Ij >2C8:?i _AIj A255:?8i _AIjQm@E96Ck2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E96C@2>C6A@CE]4@>^7@@502?505C:?<^2>6C:42?D\7:C6\FA\D>2CE6C\3@=56C\33BD\56DA:E6\C:D:?8\7@@5\4@DED^2CE:4=60bg4hd32e\7f5g\cc7e\gdf`\acffb7cfefff]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm 7=2G@CDk^2mk^DA2?mkDA2?m :?DE625 @7 >2<:?8 E96 7@@5 2D 9@E 2D A@DD:3=6] tI2>A=6D :?4=F56 A6249 9232?6C@ 49:4<6?[ 4@4@?FE =:>6 7C:6D[ >2?8@ 49:=6 H:?8D[ 2?5 D>@<J 49:A@E=6 3FEE6C]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9a 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m$H:4J xD |@G:?8 q6J@?5 w@E w@?6Jk^DA2?mk^9am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?muCF:E :D A=2J:?8 2 >2;@C C@=6 :? >2<:?8 DA:4J 7=2G@CD >@C6 2AAC@24923=6] |2?8@ 2?5 9232?6C@ 2C6 2=C625J 2 72>:=:2C >2E49[ 3FE A62496D[ A:?62AA=6[ H2E6C>6=@?[ 8F2G2[ 2?5 4:ECFD 2C6 8:G:?8 C6DE2FC2?ED 2?5 7@@5 4@>A2?:6D >@C6 C@@> E@ 6IA6C:>6?E]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mQ(6VC6 255:?8 E@ E96 VDH:4JV G6C?24F=2C H:E9 V7C:4J[V 4@>3:?:?8 7CF:E H:E9 DA:46 :? A2:C:?8D =:<6 A6249 2?5 9232?6C@ @C >2?8@ 2?5 D6CC2?@[Q D2:5 z2E:6 pJ@F3[ >2?28:?8 65:E@C k^DA2?mkDA2? DEJ=6lQ3@I\D:K:?8i 3@C56C\3@Ij >2C8:?i _AIj A255:?8i _AIjQm@7k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]86E7=2G@C]4@>^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm u=2G@Ck^2mk^DA2?mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]86E7=2G@C]4@>^QmkDA2?m U2>Aj %96 |6?Fk^DA2?mk^2mkDA2?m]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?muC2?<VD #65w@E =62?65 :?E@ 7CF:E 2?5 DA:46 H:E9 7@FC ?6H D2F46D C6=62D65 :? a_aei $A:4J |2A=6[ !:?62AA=6 w2H2::2?[ v2C=:4 !2C>6D2?[ 2?5 v9@DE !6AA6C #2?49] %96 4@==64E:@? C2?86D 7C@> DH66E 2?5 7CF:EJ E@ 4C62>J 2?5 6IEC6>6=J 9@E[ 3FE 6249 D2F46 @776CD >@C6 E92? 962E 2=@?6]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%96 A:?62AA=6 D2F46[ 7@C 6I2>A=6[ 4@>3:?6D 7CF:E H:E9 E2>2C: 2?5 2 8C25F2==J 3F:=5:?8 962E] $A:4J |2A=6 255D 2 C:49 DH66E?6DD E@ 2 >65:F> =6G6= @7 DA:46[ H9:=6 C2?49 >2<6D 89@DE A6AA6C D66> 2E =62DE D=:89E=J =6DD :?E:>:52E:?8]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m#6DE2FC2?E 492:?D 2C6 255:?8 E96D6 7=2G@CD E@ E96:C >6?FD[ E@@] #646?E 6I2>A=6D :?4=F56 r2G2VD w2C:DD2 w@?6J r9:4<6?[Â k^DA2?mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D62D@?2=4C2G:?8D]4@>^E24@\36==\8=FE6?\7C66\>6?F^QmkDA2?m%24@ q6==VDk^DA2?mk^2m kDA2?m|:<6VD w@E w@?6J s:23=@ $2F46[Â k^DA2?mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D62D@?2=4C2G:?8D]4@>^49:A@E=6\8=FE6?\7C66\>6?F^QmkDA2?mr9:A@E=6VDk^DA2?mk^2m kDA2?mp5@3@ #2?49[ 2?5 (6?5JVD %2<:D uF68@ |62=]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m$2F46D >2<6 :E C6=2E:G6=J 62DJ 7@C C6DE2FC2?ED E@ :?EC@5F46 D@>6E9:?8 ?6H H:E9@FE 492?8:?8 2? 6?E:C6 5:D9] p 72>:=:2C @C56C @7 49:4<6? E6?56CD[ 7C:6D[ @C A:KK2 42? 766= 4@>A=6E6=J 5:776C6?E H:E9 2 A6249 9232?6C@ 8=2K6 @C DA:4J >2A=6 5:A]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9a 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m(96C6 %96D6 $A:4J u=2G@CD r@>6 uC@>k^DA2?mk^9am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m|2?J @7 E96 DA:4J 7=2G@CD ?@H D9@H:?8 FA @? >6?FD 92G6 =@?8 366? DE2A=6D :? <:E496?D 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]:??@G2>2C<6E:?D:89ED]4@>^EC6?5D^8=@32=\DA:4J\7@@5\EC6?5D\a_ae\9@E\DA:4J\7=2G@CD^QmkDA2?mx??@G2 |2C<6E x?D:89EDk^DA2?mk^2m kDA2?mD2JD EH@ 7=2G@CD E@ H2E49 2C6 92C:DD2 2?5 D92E2E 52<H2] w2C:DD2 :D 2 }@CE9 p7C:42? 49:=6 A2DE6 >256 H:E9 82C=:4[ @:=[ 2?5 DA:46D[ H:E9 2? 62CE9J[ D>@<J 7=2G@C] $92E2E 52<H2 4@>6D 7C@> $F52? 2?5 4@>3:?6D A62?FE 3FEE6C[ 49:=6 A6AA6CD[ =:>6[ 2?5 82C=:4]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m*@F 2C6 2=D@ >@C6 =:<6=J E@ D66 z@C62? 8@49F;2?8[ k^DA2?mkDA2?mr9:?6D6k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D62D@?2=4C2G:?8D]4@>^A6??6\2CC233:2E2\H:E9\49:=:\4C:DA^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm 49:=:k^2mk^DA2?mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D62D@?2=4C2G:?8D]4@>^A6??6\2CC233:2E2\H:E9\49:=:\4C:DA^QmkDA2?m 4C:DAk^DA2?mk^2mkDA2?m[ !@CEF8F6D6 2?5 p7C:42? A:C: A:C:[ k^DA2?mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E96C@2>C6A@CE]4@>^762EFC6D^<:>AE@?\C64@C5D\E96\3:886DE\82:?\:?\a_ae\9@E6=\D2E:D724E:@?\C2?<:?8D\3FE\H92E\D6ED\:E\2A2CE^2CE:4=60dhb75c52\ga7d\c357\26e`\3`6dedb2_4_3]9E>=QmkDA2?m%92:k^DA2?mk^2m kDA2?m?2> A9C:<[ y2A2?6D6 <2C2D9: >FDE2C5[ 2?5 $:49F2? A6AA6C @? >6?FD] $:49F2? A6AA6C DE2?5D @FE 3642FD6 :E 4C62E6D 2 E:?8=:?8[ D=:89E=J ?F>3:?8 766=:?8 :? E96 >@FE9 C2E96C E92? E96 FDF2= 49:=6 A6AA6C 3FC?]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mu@C 5:?6CD[ E96D6 :?8C65:6?ED @776C 2 D>2== E2DE6 @7 2 5:776C6?E A=246 @C 7@@5 EC25:E:@?] %96J 2=D@ AC@G:56 E96 56AE9 E92E 2 86?6C:4 Q6IEC2 9@EQ D2F46 @7E6? =24<D]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9a 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mw62E xD %FC?:?8 &A :? &?6IA64E65 !=246Dk^DA2?mk^9am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%96 ?6IE C@F?5 @7 DH:4J 7@@5D H:== ?@E 36 =:>:E65 E@ H:?8D 2?5 49:4<6? D2?5H:496D] x??@G2 6IA64ED DA:4J 7=2G@CD E@ >@G6 7FCE96C :?E@ 49@4@=2E6[ 56DD6CED[ 4@7766[ 7CF:E 5C:?<D[ 2?5 ?@?2=4@9@=:4 36G6C286D]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mr9:=6 42? >2<6 DH66E 7CF:ED =:<6 H2E6C>6=@? E2DE6 6G6? DH66E6C] %96 C:49[ D=:89E=J 3:EE6C 7=2G@CD @7 4@7766 2?5 49@4@=2E6 42? 32=2?46 E96 962E[ D@ E96 DA:46 5@6D ?@E E2<6 @G6C]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?ms@ ?@E =6E E96 H@C5D 9232?6C@ @C 89@DE A6AA6C D42C6 J@F @77] (96? E9@D6 A6AA6CD 2C6 >:I65 H:E9 7CF:E[ 9@?6J[ C2?49[ @C D@>6E9:?8 4C62>J[ E96 5:D9 >2J ?@E 36 ?62C=J 2D 9@E 2D :E D@F?5D]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%96 ?6IE E:>6 J@F 2C6 @FE E@ 62E[ ECJ 2 A6249 9232?6C@ 8=2K6[ DA:4J >2A=6 5:A[ @C 92C:DD2 9@?6J D2F46] x7 J@FVC6 F?DFC6[ @C56C :E @? E96 D:56] *@F >2J 36 DFCAC:D65 3J 9@H BF:4<=J DH66E 962E H:?D J@F @G6C]k^DA2?mk^Am
