Taking a Look at Paprika, the Hungarian Spice
Monday, December 14th, 2009The paprika, while known and used in most countries, is internationally recognized as having the greatest form of expression in Hungary, where it is more than just the ground seasoning that it is taken for in most English-speaking countries.
The English word paprika comes from the same Hungarian word, and while the two share the meaning of “ground seasoning made from bell peppers”, the Hungarian word has a broader meaning, referring to peppers generally.
Bell peppers are famous for their nutritional value, specifically their vitamin C content. It is an interesting fact that vitamin C was actually isolated by a Hungarian scientist, Albert Szent-Györgyi, from paprika in 1932.
The Spanish were the first in Europe to produce peppers, after its discovery in the Americas. The first plants to arrive in Hungary came in the 17th century, brought in by ethnic groups fleeing from the Turks. Its use became widespread in Hungary during the Napoleonic wars, due to the prohibition on importing pepper.
In the 19th century two Hungarian brothers received awards for the quality of their ground paprika. The Palfy brothers introduced semisweet paprika by removing the stalks and seeds from the pods. This removed the capsaicin which gives the spice its heat. The French chef Escoffier introduced the spice to western European cuisine. He brought the spice in 1879 from Szeged on the river to Monte Carlo.
The paprika is one of the distinctively Hungarian spices, and its use is prevalent in many Hungarian dishes from the goulash to the pörkölt. Also, the special Hungarian dish called lecsó is made entirely from peppers and is eaten with bread, but can also be served as a side dish for various types of meat.
