AR's Hot Southern Honey
Chances are, if you run into Ames Russell, he’s got a bottle or three of his heat-kissed products on hand.
A Vermont native with Virginia roots, Russell grew up drizzling honey on his fried chicken. Eventually, he found himself seeking a spicy addition to balance the sweet and viscous substance — so he made one of his own. After gifting bottles of his chili pepper-spiked honey to family and friends and being met with positive feedback, Russell decided to take his edible experiment to the next level.
In 2016, he debuted AR’s Hot Southern Honey. Since its inception, the buzzing business has grown to include a collection of products from the classic original flavor to bourbon barrel-aged and wildflower varieties, along with honey-based hot sauce and peanut butter. Russell's OG honey is also considered a regular topping for pizza fans, the red-capped bottles spotted at local ‘za shops such as Carytown’s Zorch waiting to be drizzled on top of a slice.
Boasting the slogan “the sweet heat of the South,” AR’s Hot Southern Honey has solidified itself as a household “Richmond local” product, and pantry essential. The sizzling good made using Virginia honey graces markets and grocers both near and far, but Russell will never forget his humble hot honey beginnings.
“Ellwood Thompson’s is an iconic Richmond retail grocery brand. They are meticulously dedicated to their mission and attract a very discerning customer,” says Russell. “Gratefully, they took a risk on me and at the time, my one product. Today, they represent my full brand family of 8 products.”
A celebration of the condiment that also doubles as an ingredient, Russell introduced the “Hot Honey Cookbook” in September of last year.
“We had so much fun working on the cookbook and providing 60 unique and tasty answers to the second most often asked question, ‘what do you do with hot honey,’ ” shares Russell.
Inside the fiery food manual, readers can discover recipes — many of which are contributions from area chefs and bartenders — that range from cocktails with a kick to Korean-style chicken wings and hot honey s’more brownies.
“The beauty of the book, as we intended it, is that all recipes make sense for hot honey and are approachable for all cooking skill levels,” Russell explains. "They also work too without hot honey, for those averse to spicy.”
Beyond food, Russell shares that he has also collaborated with beverage makers from Reservoir Distillery to Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. Partnering with Ironclad Distillery out of Newport News, Russell created the world’s-first, and award winning, barrel-aged hot honey using recycled barrels from the spirit company. After, the barrels are drained and reused to produce a chili-infused bourbon whiskey in a full-circle moment.
As for the hot honey horizon, Russell says, “All this leads to a project we’re working on to introduce a hot honey product to the beverage section of retails stores. Stay tuned; it’ll be a first, easy to use and add a whole new level of pizzaz to your cocktail program.”
