Paprika is made from dried peppers. That's where the red-orange color comes from, but, as you know, just because two peppers are red, doesn't necessarily mean they taste the same. Paprika varies in flavor based on what types of peppers are dried and pulverized. The spice can range from mild to spicy, a little sweet to 100% savory.
If you want to know about true, deep paprika love, talk to the Hungarians. It's the country's spice of choice, a staple in Hungary's national dish: Goulash. Where our basic grocery store paprika is one-dimensional, Hungarian paprikas are anything but. Hungarian paprika traditionally comes in eight different flavor profiles, ranging from mild and bright red to spicy, pungent, and pale orange. The most common is a bright red variety called édesnemes, which has a pungent pepper flavor and sweetness. You'll most likely see it labeled as "Sweet Hungarian Paprika" outside of Hungary.
