Herb & Spice Companion

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HERB & SPICE COMPANION

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SAFFRON

Crocus sativus

Flavors: rich, warm, earthy,

slightly bitter

Saffron is as coveted for its flavor as it is for its deep red-orange color, historically used

to dye the robes of Buddhist monks. Today, the spice is revered for its role in authentic

Italian risotto, Spanish paella, and, of course, saffron rice. It’s also the most expensive

spice in the world, thanks to the painstaking manual labor involved in its production.

Native to Turkey, most saffron is produced in Iran, India, Spain, and Greece.

Saffron “threads” are the stigmas of the saffron crocus, a purple flower that remains

dormant all summer, only to bloom for about two weeks in the fall. The stigmas are

carefully removed by hand. It takes between 70,000 and 80,000 flowers to yield only

one pound of dried saffron.

To avoid wasting money on imposter

saffron, look for threads that are uniform

in shape and color: a very deep red with

one yellowish end and one fluted end.

A great rule of thumb is to check the

price tag. If it sounds like you’re getting

a good deal, it’s probably not saffron.

In the Garden

Grown from a bulb, or “corm,” the saf-

fron crocus is actually fairly easy to care

for; it’s the harvest that requires work. In its first year, each corm will yield just one

flower with three stigmas, but your harvest will get larger each year. The saffron cro-

cus, a perennial, grows healthily in temperate climates. It needs a moist spring and a

dry, dormant summer, after which it finally sends up its flower in fall.

Size: 4 to 6 inches tall

Container: 10 inches deep

Light: Full sun

Soil: Rich, well drained. Mix compost into the soil and add mulch to improve drainage

and provide added nutrients.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Historically, saffron has been used to

treat digestive problems, insomnia,

anxiety, and skin irritation. The

spice contains carotenoids such as

crocin, the chemical responsible

for its golden-red hue, which offer

antioxidant effects that can help

stave off disease and boost immunity.

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