Smoked Paprika

Smoked Spanish paprika is a world apart from your regular Hungarian stuff. Not widely available, even in many gourmet food stores, it is worth the hunt. We ordered a three-pack ($14.95 for sweet, bittersweet and hot) from La Tienda and it was on our doorstep the next day!

An indispensable staple for chorizo sausage, lomo pork loin and paella, this seductive and sensational spice translates perfectly to American barbeque, Middle East kebab variations, meat stews, and sprinkled atop baked potatoes. It adds magic and a gorgeous smoky complexity that works well with the sweetness of seafoods and also with this new spin on a family favorite.

Recipe: Four-Cheese Whole Wheat Macaroni with Leeks