Paprika

Let me tell you about paprika, and let's start with the color, because that's where everything is decided.

Paprika is nothing but sweet red pepper, dried and ground to a fine powder. That's it. No tricks, no hidden spices. Fresh, good paprika looks bright red, like a fire just before it dies down. Dull, brownish paprika has been sitting around too long, and the aroma fades along with the color.

Smell it before you buy it. Good paprika smells sweet, a little like dried fruit, with no sharp or musty note. If it smells like dust, leave it on the shelf.

Some people say paprika is just for color, that it has no real flavor of its own — no! Paprika carries a soft, sweet pepper taste, but give it too much hot oil and you'll watch it darken in seconds, then smell something sharp and bitter where a moment ago there was sweetness. I've seen plenty of cooks toss it into a screaming-hot pan and lose it right there. Add paprika at the end, off high heat, or stir it into liquid instead. Respect it, and it will reward you with color and flavor both.