Paprika

However the flavor of Paprika is only released when it is heated so many people never taste the full flavor of the spice. Paprika is finally starting to gain some respect in America though, as is it being more commonly used to lend not only color, but fabulous flavor to many different foods including meats, vegetables, and sauces.

Paprika, scientifically named Capsicum annuum , is a spice made by grinding dried, aromatic, sweet red capsicum peppers, which originated in southern Mexico. The pepper was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus in 1493 and was originally cultivated as an ornamental plant until later their culinary value was recognized. By the 1560s, the peppers reached the Balkans where they were called peperke or paparka.

Soon after that the peppers migrated to Hungary, a country now renowned for its paprika. The first pepper plants arrived in Hungary during the 17 th century; records and old cookbooks show that paprika became a commonly used spice at the end of the 18thcentury and is certainly known as a key ingredient in Hungarian cuisine today. The Szeged and Kalocsa regions in Hungary are the most well-known producers of sweet paprika and the two towns still compete against each other for the title of “Paprika Capital.” Kalocsa is the home of the Paprika Museum and the annual Paprika Festival held in October . Old Hungarian legends would have it that the feared Hungarian warriors of the early Middle Ages, who rode through Europe on the backs of the wild horses striking terror into the hears of the locals, were fired by paprika-laden dishes. This legend is impossible however, because capsicums(peppers) weren't discovered until the 16 th century and weren't used in Hungarian Cuisine until the Napoleanic Wars.

Paprika was introduced to western European Cuisine by French Chef Auguste Escoffier. In 1879 he had the spice brought from Szeged on the river Tisza to Monte Carlo, where he brought fame and recognition to the “Hungarian Spice” in the kitchens of the Grand Hotel. Today Spain, South America, Mediterranean regions, India, and California have all joined Hungary as major producers of paprika.

The main point to remember when using paprika is that it only releases its color and flavor when it's heated. Thus, sprinkling it over colorless dishes as a garnish may improve appearance but does little for flavoring--in Hungary this is called “a feast for the eyes.” If you want to color the contents of a dish with paprika though, stir the red powder into a little hot oil before adding it to the dish. This will release the full color and flavor of the paprika. Paprika has a very high sugar content so if it is being added to a roux or sautéed onions, first remove the pan from heat--and do not return to the heat until the liquid has been added to the roux or the fat combined with an other ingredients that have a high water content, such as meat, potatoes, etc. This is essential because the high sugar in paprika makes it burn very easily. If the paprika burns it will turn brown and develop a bitter flavor. In most dished sweet or slightly hot paprika is used, unless the chef knows for certain that the guests enjoy spicy dishes.

Fresh green or dried hot peppers pods can be served with the meal in place of paprika. The powder can be used as a seasoning, most recipes call for either teaspoons or tablespoons of it. In powdered form, paprika add consistency as well as flavor. If Paprika is kept in a cool, dark place it will retain its flavor for six to eight months, after that it begins to lose color and aroma, but can still be used.

There are several types of paprika available. Special paprika is a bright shiny red, pleasant but spicy aroma, sweet or hardly hot, and the most finely ground. Mild paprika is a light red, pleasantly aromatic, not hot, finely ground but not as fine as Special paprika. Delicatess paprika is light red, aromatic, slightly hot, and medium coarse. Sweet paprika has a dark, rich color, is fairly mild, and medium coarse. Semisweet paprika is a light, matte color, spicy, pleasantly hot, medium coarse. Rose paprika is a lively red, spicy, medium coarse. Hot paprika is a light brown red to brick red and yellow; very hot and slightly coarse. Many people are surprised to find that the redder paprika's are more mild; the light brown and yellow ones are the hottest.

The drying process for the peppers has been mastered in Hungary. The types of peppers suited to drying are grown near Szeged on the river Tisza, and in Kalocsa on the Danube river. The plant needs a lot of water and nutrients, as well as care in order to survive and be a quality product. The peppers have to be picked at the right time: when they are ripe, but not too ripe. The experienced growers of these peppers have become experts at knowing precisely when to harvest the peppers. The beautiful red color and typical aroma are acquired during the drying process. In the villages around Szeged and Kalocsa, the peppers are still threaded onto long pieces of string and hung up to dry outside the houses and from garden fences. The length of the pepper chains, which varies in each region, was once used as a unit of measurement for the dealers: a Szegendinian chain measured sixteen feet!

The grinding of the pepper has a long tradition. It was first just crumbled into dishes. Later it was ground with a mortar and pestle, but as the demand increased water and windmills began to grind more and more paprika and less grain. Today peppers are ground in a closed system, between stones and steel cylinders. Warmth from the grinding process releases essential oils, and it is these oils which impart the flavor and color. Due to the high sugar content, the peppers also caramelize slightly. In the 19 th century new techniques were being made to create different types of paprika such as semisweet paprika which is make by removing the stalks and seeds from the pods before it is ground because these contain capsaicin, which gives the paprika its heat.

Paprika is abundant in vitamin A, a vitamin rarely found in fruit, and contains three times as much vitamin C as lemons. The vitamin A in paprika is a strong antidote for heat and easily dissolves in oil. This makes paprika a good spice for stir-fry dishes. Paprika has uses outside the culinary world. It is included in food given to flamingos in zoos and helps to keep the flamingo's pink plumage bright and beautiful. Paprika is also commonly used in cosmetics. Paprika is a jewel among fruits and vegetables, as sweet as fruit for the tongue, crunchy to please the ears, and colorful to please the eyes.