Italian Hot Honey Mac & Cheese

September is National Honey Month and we’re celebrating with our newest limited time offering – Italian Hot Honey Mac & Cheese. What makes Hot Honey Italian? Honeybees! The Italian Bee’s were introduced to the United States in the late 1800s and quickly became the most popular bees due to their good honey producing abilities and gentility.

Our Research and Development Chef, Dawn McClung had the opportunity to visit a honey farm with the National Honey Board in Michigan this past summer and learn about beekeeping and all the ways we can use honey.

“My favorite part of visiting the beekeepers was getting to see the process firsthand and connect the ingredient back to where it comes from. Being able to talk with the people who work with the bees every day made it feel much more real. It made me think about honey differently and how we can use it to bring flavor and balance to a dish, rather than just using it when we want something sweet.

That experience definitely stayed with me when we were working on the Sundried Tomato Crisp. I’ve always loved traditional chili crisp and the texture and experience it brings to a dish. I wanted to find a way to bring some of that same experience to Piada, but in a way that felt natural to our brand and the flavors we already have.

That’s really where the idea for the Sundried Tomato Crisp came to life. The sundried tomato brings salty, savory and spicy notes, while the honey helps balance those flavors and adds a little depth and caramelization. I really liked the idea of using honey in a way that wasn’t necessarily obvious, but instead helped round out the overall flavor.

For me, that’s one of the coolest parts of R&D — you can have an experience like visiting a honey farm, learn something completely new, and then take that inspiration back to the kitchen and turn it into something that actually makes sense for the brand and the guest. The trip definitely opened my eyes to honey as a much more versatile ingredient and gave me a new way to think about how we can use it.” Dawn McClung, R&D Chef

We’re proud to work with the National Honey Board and support our Beekeepers who bring us delicious honey every day. The NHB advocates for and tells the stories of honey producers in the United States by highlighting their impact on the honey industry and how it affects our communities and food supply (honey.com).

For a limited time only, you can get our classic Mac & Cheese topped with crispy chicken coated in our very own hot Italian sun-dried tomato crisp, grated parmesan romano, and of course, a drizzle of honey. It’s the perfect hot twist on a cool classic.

Want to upgrade your Piada favorites even more? Add our Italian Hot Honey to any protein to level up the flavor. Only for a limited time, while supplies last.