"Swicy," or sweet + spicy, is a trend for a couple different reasons. First, "swicy" is heavily used in Korean cuisine, which has been climbing in global popularity. Second, thanks to hot honey, the foodservice industry realized people really like sweet heat. It’s a tasty treat for lovers of spicy food, and the sweetness can even make it enjoyable for those who can’t handle much heat.
So, what, exactly, is "swicy?"
"Swicy" is a blend of sweet and spicy. It’s an adjective you can use to describe any meal or sauce that has a sweet and spicy flavor. For example, “Swicy Chicken,” “Swicy Sauce” or “Swicy Wings.”
Why are sweet and spicy perfect together?
Sweet and spicy flavors interact with our taste buds in different ways. Sweet things coat taste buds, while spicy things bind to them. When your tongue is coated in sugar, it helps tame the spiciness. So, you still get spicy flavor, but even people who don't like too much spice oftentimes enjoy "swicy" foods because the spice is tamed down. And almost everyone enjoys a bit of sweetness! It's the perfect combination!
What are some popular examples of "swicy"?
Hot honey is a great example of "swicy". In 2015, Mike’s Hot Honey gained such a surge of popularity that both consumers and restaurants started adding hot honey to a huge variety of applications. You can purchase hot honey and other premade “swicy” foods like chili dark chocolate, mango salsa, sweet chili sauce and hot pepper jelly in retail locations and through foodservice distributors. Some operators have been developing their own "swicy" sauces, though, and they sometimes even use the word “swicy” in the sauce name to intrigue customers when they see it on the menu.
Creating your own signature "swicy" sauce?
If hot honey or other pre-made "swicy" sauces don't appeal to you, making your own signature "swicy" sauce could be your ticket! Creating a signature "swicy" sauce doesn't have to be complicated. Just find something spicy and something sweet that you know your customers or target demographics crave and experiment with proportions and additional ingredients needed to make a sauce...and you'll have a signature "swicy" sauce that you can turn into a trend in your neck of the woods and even online and on social media!
From Legendary Vendor Partner Brakebush
Want more ideas?
Another great example of "swicy" is Ventura’s Sauce Craft Sweet + Spicy Smokehouse Barbecue Sauce!
What about buffalo BBQ or even a new spin on the famous hot honey… hot honey mustard?
