SAFFRON

BY ACHRAF NACHET

WHERE DOES THE SPICE COME FROM?

GREECE

INDIA

IRAN

SPAIN

KASHMIR

MOROCCO

TURKEY

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THIS

SPICE?

SAFFRON IS A SPICE DERIVED FROM THE FLOWER OF CROCUS SATIVUS,

COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE SAFFRON CROCUS. CROCUS IS A GENUS IN THE
FAMILY IRIDACEAE. SAFFRON CROCUS GROWS TO 2030 CM (812 IN) AND
BEARS UP TO FOUR FLOWERS, EACH WITH THREE VIVID CRIMSON STIGMAS,
WHICH ARE THE DISTAL END OF A CARPEL.[2] TOGETHER WITH THE STYLES, OR
STALKS THAT CONNECT THE STIGMAS TO THEIR HOST PLANT, THE DRIED
STIGMAS ARE USED MAINLY IN VARIOUS CUISINES AS A SEASONING AND
COLOURING AGENT. SAFFRON, LONG AMONG THE WORLD'S MOST COSTLY
SPICES BY WEIGHT,[3][4][5] IS NATIVE TO GREECE OR SOUTHWEST ASIA[6][4]
AND WAS FIRST CULTIVATED IN GREECE.

WHAT FORMS IS THIS SPICE MOST

COMMONLY USED ?

SAFFRON IS SOLD IN TWO FORMS, POWDER AND THREADS, AND EACH BEHAVE
VERY DIFFERENTLY IN THE KITCHEN.

HOW IS THE FLAVOR OF THIS SPICE

DESCRIBED?

SAFFRON HAS A SPICY, PUNGENT, AND BITTER FLAVOR WITH A SHARP AND
PENETRATING ODOR.

WHAT DOES THIS HERB/SPICE LOOK

LIKE IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM?

COMMERCIAL SAFFRON COMES FROM THE BRIGHT RED STIGMAS OF THE SAFFRON
CROCUS (CROCUS SATIVUS) WHICH FLOWERS IN THE FALL IN MANY DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES, INCLUDING GREECE, INDIA, IRAN AND SPAIN. THE CROCUS SATIVUS
STIGMAS ARE THE FEMALE PART OF THE FLOWER. IN A GOOD YEAR, EACH
SAFFRON CROCUS PLANT MIGHT PRODUCE SEVERAL FLOWERS.

IN WHAT CULTURES, CUISINES, OR

GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS IS THIS SPICE
MOST COMMONLY FOUND?

MIDDLE EASTERN

INDIANS

N AFRICANS

SPANIARDS

GREEKS

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON USES

FOR THIS SPICE?

SAFFRON IS OBTAINED FROM THE FLOWERS OF THE SAFFRON CROCUS PLANT,

WHICH GROWS MAINLY IN SPAIN AND FRANCE. IT IS ALSO OFTEN USED AS A
SPICE. THE HERB IS ALSO SOMETIMES MANUFACTURED INTO A DRIED POWDER
AND SOLD AS A NATURAL SUPPLEMENT OR HERBAL EXTRACT AS A SOLUTION
FOR A VARIETY OF HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PURPOSES.IT IS VALUED FOR ITS
UNIFORM YELLOW COLOUR. IT CAN BE USED TO AROMATISE WINE.

WHAT ARE SOME RECIPE EXAMPLES

THAT USE THIS SPICE?

SAFFRON STEAMED RICE

TAH-CHIN - SAFFRON RICE CHICKEN DISH

SAFFRON SCALLOPED POTATOES

SAFFRON PARSNIP LEMON PUREE

ORANGE SAFFRON BUTTER COOKIES

HOW MUCH DOES THIS SPICE COST?

IS IT MORE OR LESS EXPENSIVE THAT
OTHER SPICES?

PATTY ERD SELL A GRAM OF SUPERIOR GRADE SAFFRON FOR $6.79, AND AN EVEN
FINER VERSION, KNOWN AS COUP GRADE, FOR $8.29.
MORE EXPENSIVE THAN OTHER SPICES

HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/SAFFRON

HTTP://WHATSCOOKINGAMERICA.NET/SAFFRON.HTM

HTTP://WWW.FARSINET.COM/SAFFRON/

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OME_FROM_AND_LOOK_LIKE.HTML
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