As you may know, we value a personal relationship with our farmer partners.

That’s why, three years after Iona's first trip to Hungary, this time it was Claudia among farmer Peter Szabo's paprika plants. She went with questions like 'how has the climate affected the harvest?' What challenges has he overcome? And, of course: what can be learned about how Hungarians use their beloved paprika in the kitchen?

Paprika is an iconic spice in Hungary, playing a major role in traditional cuisine. Paprika is grown in two regions: around Kalocsa, where Peter’s fields are located, and in the south around Szeged.

Biggest challenges for Hungarian paprika farmers

Despite the significant role paprika powder plays in Hungarian culture, production is declining. More and more farmers are stopping growing paprika because it is a labour-intensive process, and the import of paprika from China drives market prices below production costs. For larger producers, Hungarian paprika is even often mixed with paprika from China, which is then sold as "Hungarian paprika". Officially, this is not illegal, which means traders can apply this on a large scale. This, of course, creates a major challenge for farmers, as how do they show consumers that they are selling real Hungarian paprika powder?

Processing paprika: a delicate process

So what does it take to get that sweet, fruity, rich paprika powder? After harvesting, the paprikas are hung in nets for four weeks to ripen further. These 'salamis' hang in the sun, and the fruits develop their full flavour. Paprika is full of sugars, which makes it difficult to dry or smoke without burning them. Even at low temperatures, things can go wrong, so Peter is very precise. He never dries, grinds, or smokes his paprikas above 55 degrees—according to him, that's the magic limit for the best taste. Everything takes longer as a result, but the taste makes it worthwhile.

Interestingly, Peter always grinds the seeds of the paprikas along with the flesh, because they contain an oil that makes the paprika last longer and taste better. The white seed stems are removed as much as possible during grinding, as they can give a bitter taste.

Effects of climate change, 2024 harvest: Heat, drought, and sweet paprikas

The ten days Claudia spent in Hungary in August were primarily dominated by the heat. Every day the mercury touched 35 degrees, and the summer was dry, even by Hungarian standards. The continental climate often brings warm summers, but it is becoming increasingly extreme. Paprikas love sun, but preferably with a temperature between 25 and 30 degrees. Too much heat does them no good.

At Peter's farm, whose fields are located near the Danube in Bátya, it hadn't rained for 90 days. Without additional irrigation, it is currently impossible to grow paprikas in Hungary. Fortunately, Peter was able to use a Dutch submersible pump to occasionally draw water from the ditches between his fields. But that's hard work: each time, the pump hoses have to be manually placed and moved on the fields, and he only irrigates when absolutely necessary. The contrast was stark with the fields along the road, where part-time farmers' paprikas stood shrivelled in the sun.

Due to the heat, Peter had to harvest three weeks earlier than usual, as early as September. The paprikas he picks are deliciously sweet and full of flavour, thanks to the many hours of sunshine, but they have also remained smaller than normal. This means that the total harvest is smaller, which is concerning for his income. Peter mentioned that the market doesn't pay extra for extra tasty paprika (something many of our farmers face; the farmers in Sicily, where our fennel seeds come from, told us the same story).

Peter harvests about 7000 kilos of paprika each year, most of which is sweet and a small part spicy. Everything is grown on his small family farm, and he doesn't want to grow larger. "If we get bigger, we can't manage it alone anymore," he said.

Paprika and Hungarian culture

In Hungary, sweet paprika powder is not just a spice; it's almost a vegetable. In the markets, you typically buy it in 500-gram bags, and it goes into dishes by the spoonful. Spicy paprika is more often dried and sold whole, used for spicy sauces reminiscent of sambal. Restaurants often have a small pot on the tables so you can decide how much heat to add yourself. In the kitchen, the food is usually not very spicy, not even at Peter's home.

Smoked paprika is less popular in Hungary. It is a modern addition to the culinary repertoire and often tastes less smoky than the Spanish variety.

The Hungarian cuisine: paprika in all its glory

In Hungarian cuisine, everything revolves around paprika. Many dishes are stews, casseroles, or soups, which was sometimes a challenge to eat in the August heat. Light and summery food? Restaurants don't really do that. Perhaps locals eat lighter variations at home. The favourite paprika dish of this trip was undoubtedly the fish soup, Halászlé. A spicy soup with catfish from the Danube. Or the thickened variant, Harcsapaprikás, which is a bit thicker. Hungary is truly a country for freshwater fish, as trout was also frequently on the menu. One thing is certain: it's 'all or nothing' when it comes to paprika powder in Hungarian dishes. It either plays the leading role, or it's not in there at all.

Wine as a finisher

A pleasant surprise during the trip was Hungarian wine. For ten days, Claudia drank only local wines. What a discovery! Hungary has so many small producers that very little is exported. Perfect for tasting what the vineyards have to offer on the spot.

This trip once again showed how special Hungarian paprika is, not only as a flavour enhancer but also as part of the culture and tradition. Despite the challenges posed by the climate and the market, Peter remains passionate and determined to keep his small family business running—with the best quality paprikas.

Tips for using paprika powder in the kitchen:

• A recommendation for a more subtle touch: paprika powder in your potato gratin. A match made in heaven!
• Paprika is often combined with sour cream in Hungary. A brilliant combination. Especially in savoury stuffed pancakes with paprika sauce and sour cream.
• Or make romesco-like sauces with it; these are fundamentally a combination of peppers and nuts. Finger-licking good.
• For many soups and stews, a roux is made, and the paprika powder is added during the making of the roux. This prevents the powder from cooking too long or even burning, which makes it bitter.

Curious how that tastes? You can order Peter's paprika powder here.