- Sweet and spicy pairings have existed for centuries and can be found in cuisines around the world.
- Sugar helps tame capsaicin, the chemical compound that give peppers their signature burning kick.
- Classic sweet and spicy pairings include Mexican hot chocolate and Thai chili sauce.
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The act of eating is so habitual, it's easy to forget we're engaging in a sensory experience that helps us decode flavor. The bites that make our taste buds sing occur because signals sent to the brain — the gustatory cortex to be exact — work to decipher what we're eating. Even smelling and hearing food as we chew can affect our perception of flavor.
This powerful sensory experience makes room for a lot of seemingly counterintuitive combinations that actually complement each other, including the marriage of two classic flavors: sweet and spicy foods.
How we process flavor
To understand how peppers and sugar go together, it's important to know how taste works. "Eating food is a huge sensory experience," says Brittany Towers, a Chicago-based food scientist. "We actually use most of our senses when we eat: sight, smell, sound, and of course, taste. Most of us learned in school that we have taste buds on our tongue that let us taste sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami, but processing flavor is much more than that."
The experience of flavor not only comes from the basic senses that we taste, but also the complex flavors that we smell while eating, called retronasal olfaction. "If you've ever tried eating while you are sick and your nose is stuffy and your sense of taste is really diminished, then you understand how much your nose and taste buds are connected."
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The history and science of sweet and spicy
The fusing of flavors has been celebrated in cultures around the world for centuries. For sweet and spicy in particular, consider combos like chili-dusted mangoes and xocoatl, the ancient Aztecs' pepper-spiked hot chocolate. In more recent times, condiments such as hot honey and sweet chili sauce have become readily available at supermarkets and chefs continue to experiment with sweet and spicy in professional kitchens — pairing chile crisp, for example, not only with noodles, but also chocolate and ice cream.
"Odd flavor pairings are all about balance. With sweet and spicy, our body processes spice through receptors in our taste buds and the capsaicin in peppers binds to our taste buds," says Tower. "This emits a sensation of warming and burning — and can even make you sweat. The sweetness is there to balance out this spicy flavor."
It's why you're told to drink milk when you eat something spicy. "Fat helps wash the capsaicin away, but did you also know sugars can help tame some of that heat as well? By coating your tongue, sugars can help tame some of that spiciness leading to a balancing of flavors and help people tolerate spicy foods better," she says. "If you aren't used to eating spicy foods, try reaching for something sweet and spicy to start."
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Finding the right balance
For many people, there's a delicate balance between achieving the right level of sweet and spicy. "Don't make it so sweet that all the spiciness is dulled and don't make it so unbearably spicy that people are drinking all the milk in your fridge," Towers says. One of her favorite sweet and spicy combinations is a jalapeño, mango, and passion fruit co*cktail (or alcohol free) rimmed with Tajin. "In this co*cktail, you get most of our basic tastes — sweet, salty, sour, umami — and a kick of spice that all balance out perfectly."
Kristin Braswell is a journalist and creator of CrushGlobal Travel. She has written for Vogue, VinePair, Bon Appetit, Conde Nast Traveler, USA Today, Essence, NPR, Architectural Digest, and the Los Angeles Times, among others.
I'm well-versed in the intricate world of flavor profiles and the science behind taste. The interplay between sweet and spicy flavors, a marriage celebrated across various cultures, is a fascinating subject. Let's delve into the concepts entwined within the article.
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Sweetness and Spiciness: These sensations aren't just about taste buds; they involve complex interactions with our sensory faculties, including smell, sight, and even sound while chewing. Sweetness and spiciness offer a compelling paradox, where sugar counteracts the effects of capsaicin, the compound responsible for the heat in peppers.
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Taste Perception: The article touches on how our perception of flavor goes beyond the basic taste buds on our tongue. It involves retronasal olfaction—smelling flavors while eating—and how our sense of taste is deeply connected to our sense of smell. When we have a stuffy nose, our ability to taste diminishes significantly.
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Historical and Cultural Significance: Sweet and spicy pairings have historical roots that stretch across cultures. From ancient Aztec xocoatl (pepper-spiked hot chocolate) to modern-day condiments like hot honey and sweet chili sauce, these combinations have evolved and are now readily available in supermarkets.
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Chemistry of Flavor: Understanding the science behind the interaction of sweet and spicy is crucial. Capsaicin binds to taste buds, triggering a warming, burning sensation, and even inducing sweating. Sugar comes into play by coating the tongue, helping to mitigate the spiciness and achieve a balance of flavors.
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Balancing Flavors: Achieving the right balance between sweetness and spiciness is an art. Overwhelming sweetness can dull the spiciness, while excessive heat can be unbearable. Experts like Brittany Towers emphasize the importance of this balance, showcasing favorite combinations like a jalapeño, mango, and passion fruit co*cktail rimmed with Tajin.
The article not only explores the sensory experiences associated with taste but also highlights the cultural significance and scientific nuances behind the harmonious interplay of sweet and spicy flavors. It's a testament to how our perception of taste goes beyond mere gustation, encompassing a multisensory journey through the world of flavors.
