Episode 52: Paprika’s History and the Hungarian Red Lead Scandal
Where does paprika come from, and how did a pepper native to the Americas become one of Hungary’s most famous spices?
This week, True Crime Culinary follows the surprising history of paprika from Indigenous American chile peppers to Spanish pimentón, Hungarian paprika, and its eventual return to American kitchens in deviled eggs, potato salad, and BBQ. Plus, we explore the 1994 Hungarian paprika scandal, when lead-contaminated spice sickened more than 100 people.
It’s a story of the spice trade, a culinary boomerang, and why paprika became much more than a little red powder.
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The skinny
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