Best Saffron -7 Cool Saffron Facts, the most precious spice in the world!
| Buy the Best Saffron Here <– Spanish | Organic Saffron |
So how do we know what is the best saffron ? Luckily there are so many wonderful fascinating facts about saffron. Risotto, eggs, mushrooms and seafood, they all love being kissed by little saffron threads. I have a tiny jar of it in my spice cabinet that I like to pull out for a special occasion, like this Shellfish Risotto I love.
Cool Facts to know about the best saffron:
1. The name Saffron comes from the Arabic word ” zafaran ” which means yellow and it is the official color of Buddhist robes in India. According to Pliny, saffron used to be the most frequently falsified commodity and it was used to scent the public halls and baths of Imperial Rome.
2. Saffron is native to the Mediterranean and western Asia and it consists of the three dried stigmas of the saffron crocus. It takes about 80,000 roses to produce 1 lb of saffron and the threads must be hand picked. That explains why it is the most expensive and precious spice in the world.
3. If you find yourself in Spain on the plain of La Mancha in autumn at harvest time, you are in for a real treat of the sensual floral aromas exploding all around you as the dried stigmas are being toasted in small quantities over a low fire.
4. When buying saffron keep in mind that the best saffron has a deep red color, a honey like aroma with a delicate taste, but musky and earthy.
5. To flavor and give color to paellas and risottos, make sure to infuse the saffron threads in hot liquid for 20 minutes before using it, and use very little of it to avoid bitterness. The threads of great saffron will continue to release their flavors for another 12 hours.
6. Always buy saffron from a reliable source and only get dried stamens because they will keep their flavor well over 2 years, if stored in a cool dark place in an air tight container. Ground saffron is usually adulterated with inferior spices, don’t buy it, always look for the best saffron you can buy.
7. Saffron goes well with spinach, mushrooms, eggs, seafood, chicken and eggs, grains, potatoes,white wine, teas and even fruit. It is also the star ingredient in Risotto Milanese, the king of Italian rice dishes.
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I have additional tips at: http://gourmet-delights.com/store/saffron.html
•Saffron is really not really much more expensive than most seasonings because you use a very small amount per recipe.
•Our saffron has evenly colored, deep red threads. Pale streaked saffron is inferior.
•Avoid powdered saffron. Its been adulterated with other flavorings. It’s a phony!
•For the best saffron flavor, crush and soak the threads.
•Measure saffron threads before crushing. A pinch is about 20 threads (you can eyeball it, although its fun to count them out!).
•More is not better! Too much saffron will ruin a dish resulting in a medicinal taste.
•For a more uniform crushing of saffron, use a mortar and pestle versus crumbling between your fingertips.
•Soak the threads of saffron in hot but not boiling water for 5 to 20 minutes. Then add both to your recipe to bring out the most flavor!
•Treat soaking saffron like tea! Once you smell the aroma, your “saffron tea” is ready!
•For a better burst of flavor, soak your saffron threads in wine or stock instead of water and add it all into your recipe.
•Do not use wooden utensils when mixing saffron. Wood utensils tend to absorb saffron easily. You don’t want to waste it.
•Store saffron in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to six months for maximum flavor.
Thank you. I never learned how to use Saffron, but, have wanted to know for years. Can hardly wait to buy some and start using it! ;o)
Saffron is useful for maintaining health and saffron is seasonable product. now a days it is used for cosmetic and herbal products for and it also makes the taste in sweet dish’s and used in colored the food .and saffron powder is also available in the market comparatively in fresh saffron it is less effective,saffron is seasonable product that’s why it is cost high,using saffron without avoiding cuting favorite food we maintain our health saffron is helpful fore calorie coin shies peoples.