More of Your Savory Dishes Can Be Made With a Honey Finish
As far as sweeteners go, I like sugar (unless we’re talking carbonated drinks, in which case I only like aspartame in Diet Coke and Diet Doctor Pepper). Something about growing up in the “healthy” food-obsessed 90s pushed me away from alternative sweeteners, especially honey, but only in sweet applications. I don’t like it in baked goods or coffee or tea, but I love sprinkling it on all savory dishes. In fact, one of my favorite teenage snacks was a slice of spicy cheddar with a healthy dash of honey straight from the bear. (I was not a popular teenager.)
Honey is sweet, yes, but it’s so much more. While sucrose offers pure sweetness without any other flavor, honey can be floral, fruity, smoky, or even spicy, depending on where it was sourced from. Maybe that’s why I don’t like it in drinks and baked goods – it’s too competitive.
But the best finishers are inherently competitive. Acidic finishers like lemon juice or vinegar take the focus away from fat; fresh herbs break the monotony, giving a green touch to boiled meat, salads with mayonnaise or spicy salsa; and sweet touches like fruit sauces, sauces and, yes, honey provide a nice, balancing note to savory, spicy and fancy dishes.
Honey says, “Oh, you thought that pepperoni pizza was interesting? You thought you only needed salted meat and cheese? What if you were eating this pizza in a flowery meadow? What if pepperoni had candied qualities? Wouldn’t that be fun?”
If you’ve ever tried honey on pepperoni pizza (especially spicy ones), you know it’s actually fun. It’s also fun on a cheese platter, or with spinach (or any sautéed greens ), or potatoes (especially potatoes ), or grilled meats or stews. (Chicken wings and tenders are common, but have you tried some honey on a steak?)
If you consider yourself an agent of chaos, you should try this honey pickled cucumber appetizer , which somehow manages to be confusing and delicious at the same time. If you want to make your finishing honey even more exciting, you can ferment some garlic or cranberries in it, or add some heat to make hot honey , a very trendy condiment.
If you don’t know how to finish your honey, start with something very salty, spicy, or fancy. Garlic always pairs well with sweets, so garlic mashed potatoes, garlic green beans, or garlic chicken thighs are a great place to start. But try it on a piece of sharp cheddar at least once. I think you will like it.