This spice is not only one of the world’s most expensive, but it’s also been used for many centuries in worldwide cuisine. Harvesting saffron is incredibly labor-intensive, but it’s also a spice that you can’t replace, as its distinctive flavor is necessary for authentic and traditional dishes in many Spanish, European, and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Saffron is a spice harvested by hand from the stigmata of the crocus sativus, a purple flower. Since there are just three stigmata per plant, this labor-intensive spice is costly. Today, saffron is a vital ingredient to Spanish dishes like paella, though it also has healing abilities for wounds and swelling.
When reading through this article, you’ll learn about saffron, the history behind the Spanish spice, and how to harvest it.Read on to learn more!
What Is Saffron?
The saffron spice comes from the crocus sativus herb, a purple flower known as the “saffron crocus.”
Saffron as a spice is presumed to have first originated in Greece and was first cultivated there. But it’s now mainly grown in Iran, Greece, Morocco, and India.
Though saffron is produced on a small scale in the United States, most of it consumed here is imported.
In terms of nutrients, this spice is rich in antioxidants like crocin, safranal, and kaempferol, which may help to reduce inflammation.
Some refer to saffron as “the sunshine spice” because it’s been shown that consumption may boost mood.
Perhaps this is why saffron spice plays such a prominent role in traditional and authentic cuisines like Spanish paella, French bouillabaisse broth, Moroccan Tagines, and Italian risottos.
History of Saffron
It’s impossible to pinpoint precisely when saffron production began, and the name of the world’s most expensive spice is no different.
However, we can trace it back to the Persian word “zarparn” (which translates to the phrase “with golden stigmas”), from which the Arabic word za’farn (which translates to the word “yellow”) was thought to have been derived.
Saffron was once a privilege reserved for the aristocracy. Many kings, queens, monks, rulers, and pharaohs wore saffron perfumes and wore saffron-dyed robes.
They also ate food and drank drinks laced with the spice, bathed in saffron water for healing wounds, offered saffron offerings to their gods, and — as a prelude to romance — slept peacefully in beds speckled with saffron threads.
The mention of a great king, known as Sargon of Akkad of the Akkadian empire who came from the city of Azupiranu — referred to in Ancient History texts as Saffron City — is the earliest evidence that the East Mediterranean people were already developing saffron crocus as early as 2300 B.C.
This city must have grown saffron crocus on a broad scale, or the spice plant’s production must have been in that area during those days to be recognized as “Saffron City.”
Frescoes from Knossos, Greece, and Santorini, Greece, dating from 1600 BC and 1500 BC, respectively, depicted the entire process of saffron harvesting and eventually making an offering in ceremonial worship, as well as young girls and monkeys plucking saffron filaments.
A medical papyrus found in a tomb in Thebes, Egypt, also dated 1600 BC, pointing to the medicinal role of saffron.
These frescoes and records are tangible proof that the saffron culture existed back in ancient times.
Looking back throughout history, it’s apparent that saffron was once prized for its magical abilities to cure a wide range of ailments besides its addition to cuisine and perfume.
Saffron has been used in herbal medicine in various countries for centuries, with the ability to soothe and cure anything from minor aches and pains to severe illnesses in infants, children, teens, adults, and even the elderly.
How To Make Saffron
Saffron, as we know it today, is impossible to create without the help of humans. Its flowers contain sterile seeds, rendering natural pollination difficult.
Vegetative propagation is used to replicate the plant asexually. Corms, which are bulb-like branches that grow under the soil, are used for cultivation.
Summer is when the corms are planted, and the saffron crocus flowers are picked in mid-to-late autumn.
To avoid being harmed by sunlight, the flowers must be picked by hand before or shortly after sunrise.
Saffron crocus flowers are delicate, and many farmers feel that mechanical plucking harms them. Each flower produces just three stigmas.
The stigmas of the flowers must be plucked and dried for about 12 hours after they have been picked.
One kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of saffron spice needs between 150,000-160,000 flowers.
Processing this amount of saffron prices takes approximately 40 hours of manual labor! The spice is so costly because of the labor-intensive processing process.
Conclusion
Saffron is a spice that is hand-harvested from the stigmata of the purple flower crocus sativus.
Since each plant only produces three stigmata, this labor-intensive spice is very costly.
Taking a look at history, saffron was used long ago, as early as 1500 B.C.
Today, this pricey seasoning is used in a variety of dishes all over the world, most notably, Spain’s most popular dish, the classic paella.
Sources
- Food Unfolded: Saffron
- BBC News: South Asia Kasmiris Pin Hopes on Saffron
- Sativus: The History of Saffron
- Chef Gourmet: The Fascinating History of Saffron
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.