november-2010

SHORTS | PAPRIKA
TASTE
BUDS
Red Gold
Feeling Hungary? Get
an authentic taste of
Budapest with the subtle
sweetness of paprika
PAPRIKA BOUGHT
from a supermarket
often smells good,
but doesn’t really
make a difference
to the fl avour of
your food. You may
fi nd it surprising
that Hungarians
hold the orangey
powder in such high
esteem, but try the
genuine article and
you’ll understand.
Real Hungarian
high-grade paprika,
available in a palette
of fi ery colours
from letterbox red
to a brilliant auburn
(its nickname is
red gold) adds
depth of fl avour,
rich colour and an
LIQUID INDULGENCE APEROL
VENICE
No-one does light
and refreshing
apéritifs quite like
they do in Venice,
home of the
extremely quaffable
spritz (a wine-based
cocktail). So, if
you’re lucky enough
to fi nd yourself in
the city of canals
looking out from a
bacari (wine bar)
across a buzzing
unmistakably spicy
sweetness to any
dish it’s added to.
Paprika is created
from the dried,
ground powder of
the capsicum (red
chilli pepper) that
was fi rst introduced
to Western Europe
by Christopher
Columbus in the late
15th century. Use
of chillis gradually
spread across
Europe, and arrived
in Hungary during
the rule of the
Turkish Empire in
the 16th century.
What happened
next is the stuff
of legend. Some
claim the pretty
piazza, order a spritz
al Aperol. Made
with Aperol, a fruity
Italian concoction
in a somewhat
alarming orange
hue, this spritz is
subtly fl avoured by
the orange, rhubarb
and gentian in the
alcoholic spirit.
Aperol was
launched in 1919
by the Barbieri
brothers from
98 | TRAVELLER | 15 TH BIRTHDAY ISSUE
red peppers, or
pimentos, were
fi rst grown by the
wealthy purely
for ornamental
purposes, and that
it was the peasants
who started using
Venice and quickly
became one of
Italy’s favourite
drinks. Its name
comes from apéro,
the French word for
an aperitif, and at
just 11% alcohol (or
poco alcolico – “a bit
alcoholic” according
to the label), it’s a
gentle way to start
a long evening of
socialising and
eating among
them to liven up
food. In other
tales, the valuable
peppers were
jealously guarded
by the aristocracy,
who introduced
the death penalty
friends and family
– just the way the
Italians like it.
To make the
perfect Aperol
spritz, place a few
ice cubes in a glass,
gently pour in three
parts prosecco, a
dash of soda and
then two parts
Aperol – added last
so it doesn’t settle
on the bottom.
aperol.com
for any peasant
found growing
them. Whatever
the case, by the
1600s the spice was
becoming a staple
of Hungarian cuisine
in homemade
sausages and
salamis, fi sh soups
and, of course,
goulash – the meat
and vegetable stew
widely regarded
as the country’s
national dish.