The word saffron is derived from the Arabic word Za´faraan. The Arabs first planted saffron in Spain over a 1000 years ago.
The spice consists of the deep orange-colored stamens of the fall-flowering crocus, Crocus sativus.
Saffron is the most expensive spice on Earth. It takes more than 75,000 hand-picked blossoms, each of which has 3 saffron strands, to make a pound of saffron. Each strand must be hand-picked from the flower, so there are approximately 225,000 hand-picked strands per pound. An acre of crocus sativus produces only 2-1/2 pounds of saffron.
Spain is the leading producer of saffron, with the highest quality saffron originating from the "Mancha" region. Saffron is a classic ingredient in bouillabaisse, risotto milanese, Spanish paella, curries and arroz con pollo.
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