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Paprika Quick Facts

• Paprika is a spice made from the pods of Capsicum annuum (a shrub)
• It is native to tropical areas including Mexico, Central America, South America, and the West Indies
• Capsicum annuum is cultivated throughout most of the world because of its pods, which are called chili peppers; these chilies can be sweet or pungent and strong flavored and range from 1/2 an inch to 1 foot long
• Chilies are long, round or conical in shape and are yellow, brown, purple, or red in color
• Crops are planted in early spring and harvested in the summer and fall when chilies are glossy and ripe; chilies are dried and ground to make paprika – to make mild paprika, the central core of the pod is removed first
• Paprika has some sugar content and is richer in vitamin C than citrus fruits!
• A coloring agent is extracted from ground chilies and used to give meats and sausages a bright red color
• The rose paprika of Hungary is usually considered the finest variety
• Paprika is typically used in the cooking of Spanish and Mexican foods, as well as of the Balkan Peninsula

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