Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
Dtp:VIVIAN Page:19461264 - Herb and Spice Companion_146-256.indd 194 3/7/15 5:30 pm
(Text)HERB & SPICE COMPANION- 194 –
PAPRIKA
Capsicum annum
Flavors: range from sweet and
smoky to pungent and hotAn assortment of red chili peppers are cured and ground to create paprika, a bright-
red spice that comes in a range of flavors depending on the blend and preparation.
It’s an essential spice in Hungarian and Spanish cuisines. Hungary produces several
varieties, ranging from mild and sweet
to pungent, hot, and bitter. Spanish
paprika, or pimentön, comes from two
regions in Spain: La Vera and Murcia.
Pimentön de la Vera is the favorite, bear-
ing a smoky flavor completely distinct
from the Hungarian spice; the chili pep-
pers are smoked over an oak-burning
fire rather than air-dried.
Paprika’s heat is determined by the
type of pepper used and whether or
not the spicy stems, veins, and seeds
are included in the grinding process.
Remove all three from the equation to
reduce the heat-carrying substance cap-
saicin, resulting in the mildest paprika.In the Garden
To make your own paprika, choose peppers based on your flavor preferences. Like
your spices hot? Go for Alma peppers, which sneak a little heat into their overall
sweet flavor. Dulce Rojo, Kalosca, and Boldog peppers are predominantly sweet.HEALTH BENEFITS
Thanks to capsaicin, the heat-
carrying chemical present in all hot
chili peppers, hot paprika can help
clear up congestion, cool down body
temperature, reduce blood pressure,
relieve indigestion, and stimulate
healthy digestion and fat burning.
Paprikas with the most capsaicin are
also the hottest, but milder paprika
provides its share of healthy perks,
too. All varieties are loaded with
carotenoids, which improve vision and
offer powerful antioxidant properties.Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
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