Pimentón, a powder made from dried red peppers, is the famed paprika of Spain and is a staple in kitchens across the country. It comes in three basic types: dulce (literally “sweet”, though a better description is mild), the most widely used variety, agridulce also lately referred to as tradicional (bittersweet or traditional), and picante (hot). It is used both to season as well as to add color to everything from fried foods, soups, and stews, to meats and fish. But perhaps its most important role is in Spanish charcuterie: about 80 percent of the pimentón produced is destined for sausage making. And it is here, where the superior quality and stability of colour of Spanish pimentón (as opposed to that produced elsewhere) is of primary importance.

Paprika is produced in many countries world wide, with Perú, Spain, Israel, Chile, and Brazil, as well as China, South Africa, Hungary, and India among the top nine producing countries. In Spain, there are two main regions: The P.D.O. of Murcia produces a high quality pimentón which is sun or hot air dried and then stone-milled, yielding a fruit-flavored and natural taste to the product. The other region, known as Pimentón de la Vera (this P.D.O. was recently upgraded to the higher ranking level), is the La Vera valley in Extremadura, where pimentón is dried by a smoking process, which gives the famous smoke-flavored taste so typical in soups and stews of León and Castile. Due to its location on the western half of the Iberian peninsula within proximity of the Portuguese border, the La Vera valley receives much more copious rains than the Murcia region, adding to the highly advantageous growing conditions of the La Vera peppers.

In the 16th century monks of the Yuste Monastery began to cultivate peppers after their introduction to Spain by the conquistadores. Since then, farmers grow different peppers for the three types of pimentón: cherry-shaped peppers (varieties “Bola” and ”Jaranda”) yield the orange-red mild powder, while long, slender dark red peppers (varieties “Jaranda“ and “Jariza”) are used for the much acclaimed traditional or bittersweet paprika. The hot paprika is the product of a variety of elongated peppers (“Jeromín”, “Jariza” and “Jaranda”). These specially selected varieties, fertile soil, and superior growing conditions all contribute to an excellent product.

The growing season in the La Vera valley begins in late February and ends in early April for the seeds to be cultivated into small plants. The young plants are then transplanted to carefully prepared fields in the valley between mid May until the beginning of June, when the plant begins its main growing phase, which ends at the harvest in October. The main difference of the La Vera pimentón comes after the harvest. The peppers have ripened and are handpicked. Next to the fields are small, simple smokehouses, with concrete floors and wooden grids several feet above them. A holm oak fire is laid on the concrete floor, and the peppers are spread on the grid above the fire. The smouldering fire – only smoke, never flames – is maintained for ten to fifteen days, filling the surrounding countryside with the scent of smoking peppers. This is why pimentón from Extremadura has a characteristic aroma and a rich, deep flavor that is not present in pimentón made from sun-dried or hot air-dried peppers. The smoking process assures that the fruit is dehydrated almost entirely (from approximately 80% down to no more than 15% humidity) and that it maintains its acclaimed color. The smoked-dried peppers are seeded and stemmed and then slowly ground between emery millstones.

The quality of pimentón is determined by the strict standards applied by the regulating boards of the La Vera and the Murcia regions to the growing and Spectacular color and new surprising smokey and fruity flavor Photo: Félix Lorrio/ICEX production processes. The American Spice Trade Association (ASTA) also establishes a quality code for pimentón based on such standards as color, aroma, texture, and taste. These attributes are best conserved in airtight and light proof containers such as tin cans, the most widely used retail container in Spain for pimentón.

Spanish pimentón is increasingly available in specialty-foods markets in North America. It has been included in the “Gourmet Collection” of McCormick as “Smoked Paprika”, and is also sold online. I recommend having all three types – sweet, bittersweet, and hot – on hand. Although common paprika can be used in place of pimentón, it is neither as complex nor as aromatic. Certain recipes in Spain cannot be presented without pimentón. Some wonderful examples are the famous boiled octopus dish from Galicia or a delicious potato and chorizo stew typical from the Rioja region. Others include a favorite tapa called patatas bravas or fiery potatoes as well as bienmesabe, a delightful pimentón-marinated and then deep-fried dog fish tapa from Andalusia. But even if you don’t feel like experimenting, use pimentón in your favorite daily recipes such as on grilled meats or vegetables, on puréed potatoes or in salad dressings to add a spectacular touch of color and a new and surprising taste.