The brief history of the Hungarian paprika

Red pepper has come a long way here in Hungary. It reached the country in the 16th century, but at first, it was only planted by nobles in castle gardens as a decorative plant. The paprika took a while before it became one of the best-known Hungarikums and symbols of Hungary. At first, the nobility despised the dishes made with it and, in reality, what many Hungarians think of as hot is only at the bottom of the Scoville scale.

According to Szeretlek Magyarország, the vividly coloured spice probably reached Hungary from Turkey, hence its first name: törökbors (Turkish pepper). At first, it was used by the peasants instead of pepper. First, its name was peperi or piperi of Greek origin, then Hungarians used the Slavic papar, and the name paprika was only coined in Hungary in 1724.

Thanks to its characteristic taste, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect, the high content of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin B has also contributed to its – relatively late, but – unbroken popularity.

In the past, it was also used in folk medicine to help with rheumatism, and it was even consumed preventatively in the great cholera epidemic in 1831. As the paprika plant loves heat, the best-quality pepper in Hungary is grown in the Great Plain, especially in Szeged and Kalocsa.

By the 19th century, meals made with either the hot or sweet pepper became very popular, and one of the favourite dishes of Hungarians, the paprikas csirke (chicken paprikash), was born.