If we want to understand the past of Hungarian cuisine and the present that follows from it, it is worth beginning with the ingredient that has perhaps left the deepest mark on it. Ground paprika is not merely a spice: it lives in our language, our moods, and our kitchen instincts as well. One need only think of expressions such as “don’t get all peppered up” or “the atmosphere is quite paprikás.” Few ingredients have become so naturally embedded in everyday Hungarian self-image.