Hungarian paprika project

A friend brought these back from Budapest. Now I am going to see how well they grow in Johannesburg, South Africa. The goal is to make my own Paprika powder.
 
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awesome mix! The one time I tried my own paprika the peppers looked like the red ones on your top left corner packet. The flavor wasn't what I was expecting. Maybe a mix like you have will work out better for you
 
It looks like some the bottom-row packets are Feher Ozon, and the bottom left might be a hotter version ("csipos" and "edes" mean "spicy" and "sweet" respectively, sez Wikitionary).  They've produced like mad things for me this season, in a Mediterranean climate not totally dissimilar to South Africa, and while I haven't ground any powder yet the fresh pods are delectable.
 
"California Wonder" is definitely a standard bell type---it's a major commercial variety in the US.  The "Albaregia" packet next to it kind of looks like a bell too, and there's that cayenne type in the top row.  "Paprika" just means "pepper", so having it on the packet doesn't necessarily mean that it's what we would consider a "paprika type".
 
Good stuff!
 
-NT
 
I grow the exact same variety as bottom row, second from the right. Even the envelope was the same. :)
They were very easy to germinate, I got hooks after a couple of days.
The plants were doing just fine until summer heat got to them, they refused to set pods anymore and finally dropped all flowers.
I managed to get 4 peppers from 3 plants.
They seem to come around now, unfortunately season's end draws near.
They are tasty but mild... really very mild. Not sure what your powder preference is but don't expect it to bite.
 
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I actually grew most of the varieties you have seeds for this year. +1 on the observation that "Paprika" just means "Pepper" in that part of the world. Top row left is what the Hungarians call "Tomato Peppers". They're crunchy and very sweet... good in salads, salsas and for stuffing. Top row right is what they called "Pointed Hot"... kind of like an Anaheim... mildly hot and good fried or pickled. The Hungarians use them while full-sized, but still green. They're great on top of a burger or in pepper relish. Middle row left is Almapaprika... again, sweet and mildly hot with thick, crunchy flesh. They ripen from yellow to a soft red. The Hungarians pickle the pods while still yellow... either alone or stuffed with things like Feta cheese or shredded cabbage. They're sweeter when red, but taste just fine yellow, and stay firmer when pickled. Second from the left is Kapia peppers... one of my favorites! These big, meaty peppers have a very sweet and spice flavor, but no heat whatsoever. They're kind of a long-season pepper that take about 100 days to mature to red-ripe. All over the Balkans they're used for making a preserved condiment called Ajvar that's just incredible! DocNrock did a great thread on making it that he posted here... http://thehotpepper.com/topic/36298-ajvar/
Middle right are red and yellow Bell peppers, and the Feher are sweet frying and stuffing peppers. In between those are your best bet for hot paprika powder. Fuszeres is the Hungarian word for spicy, and until sweet varieties were bred in the early 20th century, all peppers grown for powder were moderately hot, and to make them milder the people would remove the membranes and seeds. Csipos is a mild-tasting and aromatic variety with a very delicate flavor. Here's a link that may help explain more.   http://www.budapest-tourist-guide.com/hungarian-paprika.html
Hope this helps!
 
Great suggestion, Lucilanga :-) Will give it a shot and post updates. Should be ripe very soon - I have five Pritamin's approaching ripe at the moment.
 
Very nice looking smoked paprika powder... I'll bet it won't last long! Neither will the Pritamins when you taste them. How do your sauces taste?
 
+1 to Lucinaga's comment... they'd be great in Zacusa, Ajvar or a similar relish. It's really good for you too... In WWII the British government bought tons of paste made with Pritamin peppers to send to their troops in the field as a vitamin supplement.
 
@stickman - We use a base of water, vinigar, sugar, salt, lemon zest, ginger and garlic - then we add the peppers.
 
The red bottle in the photo above is half normal paprika and half smoked paprika (the ones in the photo) and the green is half jalapeno and half smoked jalapeno. I grow the peppers and my wife makes the sauces. - Really very tasty :-) and we will try Zacusa, Ajva as well. looks very interesting.

@ikeepfish - I am definately going to try and get my hands on Hungarian Black.

By the way - my wife's name is Alma :-)
 
Hi-

What are the peppers you made the powder with - maybe I missed it? The sauces look like very good! I know you mentioned your wife's base but do you mind sharing the recipe? Especially the jalapeño sauce. I like the way they don't separate. Very nice and I bet they're good.

Bob
 
Hi Bob
 
I used the large Paprika peppers - the above photo with two peppers and a match box in between them.
 
We do not mind sharing the recipe at all - we are amateur enthusiasts :-)
 
I will get it from my wife later this afternoon and post it.
 
Cheers
 
Hein

For more jalapeños, just increase the quantities proportionally.  You can also use other chillies or peppers.
 
3 jalapeños with seeds, washed, sliced,
½ cup white vinegar
½ cup water
3 table spoons brown sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Ginger zest
1 teaspoon chopped Garlic
1 teaspoon Lemon zest
 
Heat vinegar, garlic, salt, sugar, ginger zest and lemon zest to boiling point in pot.  Add the sliced jalapeños, put lid on and let simmer for few minutes.  Blend absolutely smooth, spoon mixture back into pot and simmer untill it has reduced to desired consistency.  Pour into sterilised sauce bottle.  Refrigerate.
 
Hi Hein -

Thanks so much! About the Paprika peppers, I was wondering what the variety is? Is that Alma?

Thanks again.

Bob
 
Hello Bob
 
Not sure if it is Alma

Csipōs
 
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Pritamin
 
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Füszer
 
Sorry about the focus - used my cell phone camera
 
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I will be joining hands with Hein on this thread and post my progress on
2014 season and hopefully spread the love for Hungarian paprikas.

I have the same seeds source as Hein:
 
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these are very good seeds, took only a few days to germinate.
Sowed hungarian wax, pritamin and kapia a month ago:

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Below are a few pictures I took a few days ago:
 
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PS. I'm waiting for some Black Hungarian seeds next week.
 
I'm also growing Almapaprika, Pritamin, 2 varieties of Hungarian Hot Wax and a Szegedi-type sweet paprika for powder. The pritamin is from the same source as Lucinaga, The Szegedi-type was collected in Hungary by HabaneroHead and the rest are from a different Hungarian commercial source. I also got some Kurtovska Kapija seeds from MisterNo in Croatia, so I'm definitely on this train in 2014.
 
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