Bourbon Barrel Smoked Paprika

What it is:  Bourbon Barrel Smoked Paprika

Details:  2.5-ounce tin, $9.

Who makes it:  Bourbon Barrel Foods, in Louisville, Kentucky… “The Gateway to Bourbon Country” – yes, let us through those gates!

Why I love it:  Paprika abounds in the Kentucky kitchen and it's great to find a small food maker who has truly made this product regionally identifiable.  Sure the paprika isn't grown in Kentucky, but Bourbon Barrel Foods starts with a quality source and then puts their own Bluegrass stamp on it by smoking it with spent whiskey barrel staves.  I love smoked paprika and this version is earthy, dynamic and a perfect addition to my spice drawer.  

How I’ll use this in my kitchen:  I've been adding this to many dishes, most notably to that Kentucky classic, Beer Cheese.  I've long made a nice version of Hungarian mushroom soup and this smokey paprika has perfect "secret ingredient" potential.  I'll be adding a pinch of this to my fried chicken flour as well as stirring it into lamb stews and bean & green soups.  

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