It's probably azafran from the safflower plant and looks like saffron threads, I found it a mediocre substitute. Zaafraan is the Hindi word for saffron which is very popular in India also.
Local to you, grow your own! http://www.dutchgrown.com/fall-plan...saffron.html?gclid=CKHml_SQ884CFYsfhgodzU4E7A
150 flowers per gram.
Last edited:
I have a 5 gram bag of saffron (saffraan) from a Moroccan store for €1.49 (in Rockanje). But also a 5 gram box that does over €40.
Both 100% saffron threads, but the Moroccan one is close to orange colored, contains a lot of male stamens (meeldraad).
The other one is the highest Sargol grade from Iran, full Burgundy color, female stigma parts only (stamper).
In a lot of recipes, flavor/$ of the cheapo saffron is unbeatable. I use the Iranian only for dishes where saffron quality really matters.
(I'm aware it's a bit silly if one can afford to use the best seven days a week, but value per buck is an irritable pet peeve I'm unable to shake)
Doing well is a relative concept, I could have a stroke in an hour.
Four years ago I planned to stare at a fishing rod 24/7 in the Caribbean by januari '17. Now I have to fly the globe on a regular basis for the next decade, and play megalomaniac patron by funding/setting up development projects. There's something seriously wrong with me.
Last edited:
I have both a Spanish and Moroccan connection in the family (what not), both nations are big in saffron production, trade and consumption.
Comes in handy for saffron info, the €1.49 bags arrive through family channels, I need not even visit the shop.
(a lot of my herbs are ordered by that route, flown over in a suitcase from Asia to the South Americas. Good thing my coke days are long gone history.)
Stamens here, and as Jacco says the color is a good indicator of purity. Lately I don't use it that much so I just go for the $8 a gram stuff.
Which is selected merchandise, from which the low flavor/fragrance male stamens have been taken out manually.
I'd stay well away from powdered saffron.
The price makes it tempting to fudge and powdered it is too easy to cut saffron with turmeric and/or paprika.
As far as I know the best saffron comes from indian Kashmir and one place in Italy.
Unfortunately India has an export ban on its saffron and that particular italian one is only grown in a tiny area near L'Aquila. I suspect most if not all their produce ends up in risotto milanese served in restaurants in Italy.
PS: Just checked on the interwebs so I am less likely to post bull poop but apparently the Kashmiri saffron is so intense that its colour is not red but a reddish brown.
The price makes it tempting to fudge and powdered it is too easy to cut saffron with turmeric and/or paprika.
As far as I know the best saffron comes from indian Kashmir and one place in Italy.
Unfortunately India has an export ban on its saffron and that particular italian one is only grown in a tiny area near L'Aquila. I suspect most if not all their produce ends up in risotto milanese served in restaurants in Italy.
PS: Just checked on the interwebs so I am less likely to post bull poop but apparently the Kashmiri saffron is so intense that its colour is not red but a reddish brown.
True that, but the best saffron grade from India does $15/gr in a 5 gram bottle and can only be ordered/bought locally. Add shipping cost and it becomes rather expensive.
An allergologist friend who went on a holiday to India brought along saffron for me on the return flight. Nice, but not worth the doubled price tag imo.
Top notch saffron can be had in 100 gram tins, saves half the cost. At a max storage time of 5 years, one would have to swallow 20 grams/yr though. Provided one does not roll it into a doobie, 20 grams of premium grade is a lot of saffron.
Not me. My wife is from Vietnam. The last thing I think about when I'm falling asleep is rice.
How about bouillabaisse flavored Pho for fusion cooking?
My g/f's oldest son sent her an app a week ago, asking if I happen to have a recipe for risotto. That was giggle grade.
When asked by her, he said he thought he had never had risotto. That went right off my giggle chart.
(I still have about 200lb of paella/risotto/sushi rice left in stock. When the daily plate number took a dive, it had quite an effect on the resupply rate of stocked items. The quantity of food I need to prepare nowadays is a third of the old volume, rice stock went from lasting months to years)
Totally forgotten to mention : azafran is the safflower and a dead cheap saffran substitute, in Spain/Spanish however it is the word for the genuine article (spelled Azafrán)
Last edited:
I getting a partial foodie woodie. Will let you know how it turns out.How about bouillabaisse flavored Pho for fusion cooking?