What Plant Does Saffron Come From?
Cooks have prized saffron as both a seasoning and a coloring agent for centuries. The fine strands of saffron impart a golden color and a subtle flavor to soups, rice dishes and beverages. Saffron has also been prized as an herbal remedy. Saffron is one of the more expensive seasonings available. Does this Spark an idea?
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Source of Saffron
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Saffron comes from the plant Crocus sativus, first cultivated Egypt and Asia-Minor. Today most saffron comes from Spain, Greece, China, France, India and Turkey. Crocus sativus is only distantly related to the domestic crocus grown as an ornamental flower. The seasoning itself is the dried stigmas of the crocus sativus blossoms. The stigmas from approximately 70,000 to 75,000 flowers make 1 lb. of saffron.
Cultivation
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Seventy percent of the saffron grown commercially comes from Spain. In spring, farmers plant small bulb-like corms in limestone soil. The perennial plants will produce three to five years before they need to be divided. The divided plants will continue to produce. Crocus sativa blooms in the fall. Farmers harvest the blossoms, remove the stigmas and dry them. The labor-intensive work accounts for much of saffron's high price.
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Uses
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A few strands of saffron in paella or bouilliabase produces a soft gold color and slightly bitter taste. Saffron also lends a yellow-orange color to pasta, butter and cheese. Ancient Greeks used saffron in perfumes and Greek physicians employed saffron tea to treat everything from headaches to unwanted pregnancy.
Substitutes
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Because of the high cost of saffron, turmeric often takes its place as a food colorant or is mixed with saffron as an extender. Artificial colors may also be used. Sometimes stigmas from safflower -- which is sometimes known as American saffron, but is unrelated to the real thing -- are mixed with genuine saffron.
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References
- Photo Credit Spoon filled with saffron image by Han van Vonno from Fotolia.com
