Paprika

Guide Note

The spice, Paprika, is powdered capsicum pepper, made from sweet to medium-hot varieties of peppers. Paprika is traditionally grown in Eastern Europe, especially in Hungary. In Europe, 'paprika' may also refer to the peppers from which the spice is made, regardless of how they are used.

Fast Facts

1. A key ingredient in goulash
2. Also used to color foods
3. May be smoked for additional flavor
4. High in vitamin C
5. Many health benefits
6. Origin: Mexico

History

The capsicum pepper is native to Central America, and Christopher Columbus brought it to Europe as a substitute for the then-costly spice, black pepper. Capsicum peppers are in the Solanaceae family (which also includes tomatoes, eggplants, tobacco, and potatoes), and aren't closely related to the family, Piperaceae, from which the names 'pepper' and 'paprika' come. But the name (and the association with black pepper) stuck, and the capsicum spread through Europe and later Asia, via established trade routes.

Culinary Use

As a powdered spice, paprika comes in several grades and varieties, with differing degrees of pungency and heat. It is often the primary seasoning in Hungarian and Romanian dishes, and is in common use in such countries as the Balkans and Turkey. The Indian subcontinent and Asia generally prefer even hotter varieties of the capsicum pepper, while countries away from major trade routes -- such as Poland -- never became habituated to its heat.