By Sue Ann ColvinThroughout history, spice has been considered more valuable than gold. Without the lure of fortunes to be made from the spice trade, the Americas may have been left “undiscovered” by the European world.
Recently, I watched the story of Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan on Oregon Public Broadcasting. Magellan sailed in search of spices attempting to find a westward route to the Spice Islands of Indonesia.
Photo courtesy of Mark Parker
Magellan's voyage was horrific, terrible storms and a mutiny which he put to rest by a few decapitations. Understanding the great lengths that he and others went through to obtain these precious commodities has prompted me to write a series of blog entries about spices.
I grew up on a a steady diet of meat and potatoes. Vegetables came out of a can. Sugar, cinnamon, imitation vanilla and salt were the only flavorings available to me. Food was something I endured, not enjoyed. But all of that changed for me at seventeen when I met my life-long friend, Stephano. Raised in Italy by missionary parents, Stephano grew up preparing meals for thirty and taught me the joy of eating. He cooked with spices and fresh herbs that he grew in his kitchen window. Until then, I had never known that food could awaken every sense in my body. Spices create the difference between sustenance and gourmet.
Photo courtesy of Giulio Bernardi
Saffron has always been the most valued of all spices and it remains so today. The price of true Saffron reflects the low yield, labor intensive, cultivation and harvest. Each flower releases only three stigmas, which must be meticulously hand-picked and dried within 15 days of flowering. One ounce of Saffron contains 14,000 stigmas. If you calculate the price of pure Saffron per stigma, it's a bargain in the spice world.
Photo courtesy of Francesco Marmo hfmarmo (flickr)
In 1730, Saffron was cultivated by the Pennsylvania Dutch in the US and saffron's list price on the Philadelphia commodities exchange was set equal to that of gold.
My first experience with saffron was in Paella in the Eighties. My love for saffron was born the moment I experienced its intoxicating scent. Over the years, I've had trouble locating the thin red filaments of my desire. Countless imitations of saffron exist and it's a buyer beware environment for the novice seeking the real experience.
Steer clear of powdered saffron, even if you pay enough for it to believe that it is pure Saffron, the flavor fades quickly in powdered form. More often than not, the powered form contains an assortment of dried wildflowers. Turmeric is added to give food the yellow tint that real saffron would impart. An inexpensive imitation of saffron is sometimes called, Zaffron, which utilizes the safflower and is flavorless. Sometimes these products are marketed as blends of Spanish spices.
Imitations of saffron are nothing new as documented from the Middle Ages [...those found selling adulterated saffron were executed under the Safranschou code.[64] Typical methods include mixing in extraneous substances like beet, pomegranate fibers, red-dyed silk fibers, or the saffron crocus's tasteless and odorless yellow stamens. Other methods included dousing saffron fibers with viscid substances like honey or vegetable oil.
Saffron is red, but a small percentage of white, yellow, or orange styles will also be present. They are not waste or padding material, but contribute by extending the flavor and aroma range of saffron. While the price of pure saffron is high, a little goes a long way and it will last up to 10 years if properly stored. Although I've never been able to leave saffron idle in the cabinet if I have it available. Never store dry saffron in the refrigerator or freezer.
A Variety of uses for Saffron
Saffron was used in Persia as a dye. The strong aroma filling the air from heating the Stigmas is thought to have led to its use in Persian cooking. In Medieval times, the ground stigmas of the crocus flower were mixed with egg white and Mercury to imitate gold ink for lettering. Saffron is an anti-oxidant and studies from Japan seem to indicate that Saffron may be useful against memory loss.
Saffron was first brought to Spain in the 8th century by the Arabs who discovered that the lands of La Mancha, in the Southeast of Spain, were ideal for its cultivation. Spain is the leading producer and exporter of saffron and accounts for approximately 70% of the world’s market. Up to 40 metric tons are produced annually in Spain. Over 90% of this staggering crop of 6,400,000,000 crocus flowers is of La Mancha origin. Not only is Spain the world’s leading producer, but its La "Mancha" saffron is internationally considered to be the best due to its intense aroma and its coloring strength.
To learn more about Saffron, take the Culinary Tour.
Culinary Collective is proud to import Mancha-Oro Saffron.
R.A. Gourmet, producers of Mancha-Oro saffron, is a small 100% family owned and managed company. The family has been in the business of cultivating the highest quality of saffron for over 325 years. At present the company consists of nine members from three generations working to market saffron, and other assorted gourmet items, to 22 countries.R.A. Gourmet donates 10% of their net profits to Intermon, a catholic NGO which manages community and environmental projects in developing countries, including South and Central America, and Africa.Mancha-Oro saffron is packaged in beautiful recycled glass jars and hand-sealed with wax.
Although saffron cultivation does not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers, this product is very difficult to certify organic due to the cost to the small farmers who grow it.
Infuse saffron filaments in hot water for at least 30 minutes before adding to a recipe. Placed in hot water, filaments will release color and aroma. The flavor develops more slowly. Coloring power will intensify with time, and eventually the filaments will appear to be exhausted (around 12 hours), ghostlike and pale, having been bled of all their goodness and color by the liquid.
The golden rule of using saffron infusions is: (1) for maximum color, add it at the beginning of the cooking process with high heat and (2) for maximum flavor and aroma, add the infusion near the end of the cooking process and with a lower heat. Or do half and half for a nice balance.
Sources:
Reference: The Essential Saffron Companion – John Humphries
Classic Turkish Cookery - Ghillie Basan, Josceline Dimbleby, Jonathan Basan
Oregon Public Broadcasting, Voyages of Discovery Ferdinand Magellan:Circumnavigations.
Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saffron
Recipes:
Beginner's Baked Paella
Before beginning work on this blog entry, I thought I knew how to make Paella, I've made of version of it for the last twenty years and it always tastes great. Recipes abound for Paella. Visit our recipes section on this blog for an authentic paella recipe. This easy recipe uses a roasting pan with a lid - I use my turkey roasting pan.
Ingredients
2 cups Paella rice
4 cups of water
6 chicken thighs
Andouille sausage
2 large onions chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 jar Piquillo peppers
Sea salt (to taste)
1/2 cup or so Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 threads of saffron
Fresh Shrimp, clams, mussels (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425.
Dissolve saffron in a small amount of water and set aside.
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in roasting pan on the stove top. Brown sausage (saves washing pans). Remove skin from chicken and brown chicken with the onions and browned sausage, add more oil as needed. Remove chicken and set aside. Pour in water, cover and bring to a boil.
Add remaining oil and rice. Turn off heat. Return chicken to the pan add peppers and all but a small amount of dissolved saffron. Turn oven down to 350. Cover and place in hot oven for 40 -50 minutes. Add seafood and remaining saffron liquid and threads for the last 7-10 minutes.
This never fails to please.
Serves 4-6
Golden Saffron Cake
By Peggy Trowbridge Filippone (About.com)
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon butter, softened
- 2/3 cup milk, divided use
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads
- 1-1/3 cups cake flour
- 1-3/4 cups sugar, divided use
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large whole egg
- 2 Tablespoons rose water
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla, divided use
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon chopped pistachio nuts
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Brush a 9-inch cake pan with the softened butter.Place saffron threads and 2 tablespoons of the milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer while stirring, then remove from heat and let cool.>
In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, 1 cup of the sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
In a smaller bowl, combine saffron/milk mixture, remaining milk, egg, rose water, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Pour this wet mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a fork, mixing only until combined.
Immediately pour into prepared cake pan and bake about 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir water and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
Poke holes evenly in the cake with a wooden skewer. Spoon the vanilla syrup over the top of the cake and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Let cool to room temperature.
To serve, cut the Golden Saffron Cake into diamond shapes, as you would for baklava.
Yield: 10 servings
Visit our sister blog, Zocalogourmet for more of the spice series.
