Did You Know – Saffron
Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. Sometimes called “red gold”, saffron has been prized for millennia, appearing in written records as early as 2300 BCE. In the 14th and 15th centuries, it was often worth more than gold by weight, costing between $2,000 – $10,000 per pound. Its extraordinary cost comes from the staggering labor required to harvest it.
Each Crocus sativus blossom yields just three fragile stigmas (the part of the flower that catches pollen), which must be handpicked during a brief fall bloom, ideally midmorning when the flowers are fully open.
Modern estimates suggest that producing 2.2 pounds of dried saffron requires 70,000 – 200,000 flowers and 370 – 470 hours of labor, which helps to explain why the spice has historically fetched an astonishing price.
Saffron’s value also surged thanks to its many uses. Historically, it was a culinary cornerstone across Asia and the Mediterranean, a sacred dye in Hindu traditions, and a prized medicinal ingredient in Ancient Rome where Pliny the Elder claimed it was nearly a universal cure.
Demand especially soared in medieval Europe ; Venice dominated the saffron trade, and adulteration was taken so seriously that a merchant was once burned at the stake for trying to sell a phony product.
Have you ever purchased saffron? Have you ever tasted a food made with saffron? What did you think of its taste?
Source: http://www.HistoryFacts.com
Image: Adobe & Tim Sandall
http://www.InDianesKitchen.com
Share this:
Categories: Uncategorized
Never tasted it. We use turmeric for the colour
Turmeric is healthy too, but I’m sure you knew that. Lol
The city of Saffron Walden in England supplies the world demand for this gently spice is grown on millions of acres all around that said city . Crocus bulbs i grown here, from there, in pots in greenhouses
It’s amazing how they don’t all break, even with the tweezers. Do you pick the threads of your crocus?
Thank you so much Ned!
For some reason, I thought saffron was yellow. It looks so delicate and such a bright red. The staggering effort to harvest it sure is news to me – so nope, never tried it in my life before! And probably won’t. 🤣
Mine is more of an orange color. Maybe that’s the difference in the quality? It may start off red but fades with time but not certain.
Saffron is expensive, but I think it’s worth it! I love its unique taste. There’s nothing else like it.
I wish it was easier to find it in our local stores. I order vanilla beans from Amazon I will have to see if they sell saffron too.
I wonder if the harvesting cuts down on propagation?
I’ve used it before and didn’t notice the taste much.
That’s a great question Katelon and no, crocus multiply by the bulbs not the flower.
I used a little of hubby’s saffron (not knowing what it was) and he went nuts! Thanks for explaining why😏
Hahaha What happened to share and share alike? 😉
I don’t think I have ever had saffron. It was funny when you mentioned Pliney the Elder. I didn’t know that was a person. The reason I know the name is because when we were in California a few years ago, one of the breweries has a beer by that name and it’s hugely popular. People line up for it when they have it bottled. I will have to read more about him.
Wow I didn’t know that and would love to try one!
It may be expensive, but it adds the right taste to many wonderful recipes!
How much do you use with an average recipe? Do you crush it, soak it or throw it in as is? I was always told to crush it for more color and uniform flavor in the dish and use about 1/2 tsp crushed.
I was given a packet of a Saffron look-alike by a farmer in New Mexico. We were buying hay from him. I can’t remember what it was called. It was much cheaper and the taste was not as strong.
I would love to know why the cheaper ones are cheaper. Maybe different variety of crocus or maybe about to expire. We bought ours at Jungle Jims which has everything and I didn’t pay all that much for mine either.
That’s what you call “a spice with a price” – wow, that’s a lot of money. No, I have not tasted nor bought saffron, but liked learning about it.
I guess it is like caviar, there are really expensive threads and not so expensive. I’m sure the really expensive has a better and stronger flavor.
Thank you for sharing this very fascinating information on saffron, Diane. It really is labor intensive. Recently I purchased a 1 gram vial (there are 454 grams in a pound) at a discount store where they sell items at or near the best before date. I tried 4 stigmas (used the word stigma from your article) in a curry. There wasn’t a real noticeable difference. Though I don’t use a recipe, I just ingredients that are on hand. So it was hard to tell.
For a standard curry recipe serving 4-6 people, I would use roughly 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of high-quality crushed saffron threads (about 15-30 threads) or a large pinch. If you don’t crush them it is best to soak the threads in 1-2 tablespoons of hot water or milk for about 15 minutes to release maximum flavor and color. I think this is one of those spices each person needs to adjust to their own taste. I hope this helps for next time.