Honey & Balsamic Dressing with Trinidad Honey: Jo Lee Herbert's Recipe
Honey guide
By Jo Lee Herbert, founder of HerbWai Honey · Updated 27 September 2026
HerbWai founder Jo Lee Herbert’s honey and balsamic dressing whisks ½ cup of raw HerbWai honey with 1½ tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, three finely chopped blades of shadon beni, a grated clove of garlic, salt, black pepper and, if you like heat, ½ teaspoon of pepper sauce. She made it on Cup of Joe Caribbean’s Flavours at Fiesta series; watch it below.
Ingredients
- ½ cup HerbWai honey
- 3 blades shadon beni, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Salt and black pepper
- ½ tsp pepper sauce (optional)
Method
- Whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Choosing your honey
Because nothing is cooked, the honey’s flavour carries straight into the dressing, which is where a single-origin honey shows. For a bright, fruity dressing try Savana Gold; for a darker, richer one, Paria Reserve. See what’s in season now.
Recipe and video: Herbwai Honey at Cup of Joe Flavours at Fiesta, CupofJoe Caribbean, 17 November 2019.
Questions people ask
What is shadon beni?
Shadon beni, also spelled chadon beni, is culantro (Eryngium foetidum): the long-leaved herb used all over Trinidad & Tobago in green seasoning, chutneys and sauces. It has a stronger flavour than coriander, so three blades go a long way.
Which HerbWai honey should I use?
Any HerbWai honey works. As a suggestion from the tasting notes: Savana Gold (butterscotch, tropical fruit) gives a bright, sweet dressing; Paria Reserve (molasses, dark chocolate) gives a deeper one that stands up to balsamic.
Do I have to use pepper sauce?
No, it's optional in the recipe. Leave it out for a mild dressing, or add it for a little Trini heat.
Does the dressing keep the honey raw?
Yes. Nothing is heated, so the honey's natural enzymes stay intact. If your honey has crystallized, loosen it first by standing the bottle in warm water below 40°C.
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