Pimenton De La Vera by Souschef

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• Foodie Reviewer Souschef
  More reviews by this foodie >
• Date of review: 24/11/2009
• Category: Food Products

New from Souschef.

This Pimenton de La Vera (Spainish smoked Paprika) is of unbelievable quality at a truly unbelievable price.

A powder ground from differing varieties of the Capsicum annum pepper. It's cultivation began with the Jerunimos monks from the Yuste Monastery in the 16th century in La Vera region of western Spain.

The peppers are slowly smoke roasted over the hot night fires of pedunculate or holm oak. The farmer has to go into the smoking house every day for two weeks to turn over the layer of peppers by hand. Finally the peppers are milled by electrically powered stone wheels which must turn very slowly since friction heat affects the color and flavor.

The Hernandez family have been producing Pimenton de la vera for four generations and produce one of the best available in Spain.

This precious powder is indispensable for Spanish sausage such as chorizo and lomo pork loin. It adds the absolutely perfect taste of authenticity to paellas. It crosses into regular cuisine as a seasoning for barbecue pork, kebabs, and rich beef and lamb stews.

It comes in three varieties: sweet and mild (dulce); bittersweet medium hot (agridulce) and hot (picante) and normally keeps for two years.

contact mike@souschef.co.nz