The Spanish are not generally known for having a spicy palate; however, Spanish smoked paprika, known as Pimentón, is widely used in many Spanish recipes, particularly when a dish calls for a deep red colour. Suffice to say it is an important ingredient when making Spanish chorizo. Other uses include sprinkling some paprika over a dish to either bring out other flavours or merely to brighten it up.

Paprika is made from dried, ground red chili peppers. The peppers are harvested through the autumn and are hung and dried from September through until the beginning of December. In many rural villages bright red peppers can be seen hanging from balconies and railings, drying in the sun - a cheerful sight indeed. During the drying process the peppers are regularly turned to aid equal air distribution. When completely dry they are ground, either in a mill, or as is more often in the rural areas, by hand. Paprika is unusually rich in vitamin C; however extreme heat breaks down the vitamins in the peppers thus resulting in those that have been dried commercially not being as nutritious as those that have been sun-dried.

Although the most commonly found type in the supermarkets is Pimentón Dulce, there are actually three different types of paprika, each one being made form a different type of pepper:

Pimentón Dulce - a sweet paprika made from round or bell peppers that, although adds colour to a dish, is more likely to sweeten it than spice it up.

Pimentón Agridulce - not commonly found, this paprika is a blend of round peppers and a sharper, longer pepper, the result being a bittersweet flavour.

Pimentón Picante - the spiciest of the three and defined by its deep rich red colour, this hot paprika is made from the long hot red peppers and is generally used in the production of the spicy chorizo. It is also a particularly good ingredient to give a spicy dish that extra kick.