La Comida Roja

EVERY AUTUMN, IN THE VALLE DEL TIETAR, THE LITTLE TOWN OF VALDEIÑIGOS IS CLOAKED IN A RICH, SWEET SMOKE. TO USE THE WORD SMOKE IS A LITTLE HARSH – IT’S MORE LIKE A SUBTLE AROMATIC HAZE. AT THE HEART OF THE TOWN IS A BRICK AND CONCRETE CHURCH SURROUNDED BY NEAT WHITEWASHED BRICK AND CONCRETE HOMES. BEYOND THEM EXTEND HUNDREDS OF HECTARES OF FIELDS COVERED IN LITTLE BUSHES LADEN WITH RIPE RED PIMIENTOS PEPPERS. THIS IS LA VERA, THE SMALL REGION IN THE NORTH OF EXTREMADURA WHERE LA VERA PIMENTÓN IS MADE. PIMENTÓN IS KNOWN IN ANGLO COUNTRIES AS SPANISH PAPRIKA AND IS AS INTEGRAL TO THE SPANISH KITCHEN AS SALT AND PEPPER IS ELSEWHERE.