Spices of La Vera
A valley in Extremadura where peppers are smoke-dried over oak fires to make Pimenton de la Vera, the smoked paprika of Spain.
Traded and grown here
Best time: September to November.
La Vera, on the southern slope of the Sierra de Gredos, is the home of Pimenton de la Vera, a protected designation of origin. Peppers are dried slowly over smouldering oak or holm oak wood in drying houses called secaderos, then ground.
Spices and trade
The smoked flavour is the hallmark. The paprika comes in sweet, bittersweet and hot grades. It is used in chorizo, stews, paella and potatoes.
The place and its people
Peppers came from the Americas with Spanish explorers, and monks of the Monastery of Yuste are traditionally said to have encouraged their cultivation. Families still grow the peppers in the valley.
Visiting
Smoking houses and a regional centre explain the process. Autumn is the harvest and drying season.
A trail idea for La Vera
- A secadero See smoke-drying peppers.
- Jarandilla de la Vera Visit the town and its castle.
- Yuste Monastery Visit the retreat of Charles V.
- A local restaurant Eat migas or patatas revolconas.
Written by the EveryMasala desk with AI assistance. Background: "Pimenton de la Vera" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Paprika: Takkk, CC BY-SA 3.0, source