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Saffron :: Herb of the Month
June 30, 2010
When I think of saffron, the first thought that comes to mind is expensive, and second, pretty dainty threads of orange, red, and gold. These warm colorful threads are the stigmas of a flower of the crocus family which originated in west Asia and grows in Kashmir and Turkey, and in Mediterranean countries – the largest quantity these days comes from Spain. The use of saffron is very much a part of cuisines of these regions.
Saffron has a delicate fragrance. I find it not-so-easy to pin-point its flavor. For me, it has a somewhat sour, mostly sweet-bitter taste. Some say it’s bitter, or that it has a bitter, honey-like taste. It has also been described as having a bright metallic flavor. The taste is very individual I’d say.
Whatever flavor/s your taste buds detect, you don’t want to actually taste much saffron in a dish. Great chefs say if you can taste the saffron in a dish, there is too much. Use saffron with a light hand, like a pinch, or no more than is needed for a recipe. You’ve probably discovered for yourself a little saffron goes a long way.
But don’t let this or the price sway you from including saffron as staple spice in your kitchen. Have some handy to make great Indian, Mediterranean, Moroccan, and Spanish recipes. Paella is a popular dish using saffron, as well as curry dishes and desserts.
Preparing Saffron
It adds beautiful coloring of golden to pale yellow and give an equally beautiful taste and aroma to recipes. Saffron strands need to be soaked in a little warm water or nut/seed milk to infuse and bring out its gorgeous color. An alternative to release its aroma, flavor, and color is to grind it into a powder, and all you need to do is add the appropriate amount to your recipe – no further extraction is necessary.
Storing Saffron
If stored properly, this precious spice can have a good long shelf life. Keep it stored tightly sealed and in the refrigerator.
The Giveaway
Generally on the last day of the month our monthly herb of the month drawing takes place. The month of June had been kind of hectic and our herb of the month posted on the last day of June. So, this giveaway will run in July until Saturday, July 24th at 11:59pm PST.
If you’ve never or have always wanted to try saffron or have run out and need more, enter this drawing for a chance to receive organic saffron, courtesy of our sponsor Mountain Rose Herbs. Leave a comment below sharing tips, suggestions, ideas, your experience using saffron, or simply your desire to try it. On Sunday, July 25th, one of your names will be drawn from the comment section of this post, and Mountain Rose Herbs will send a gift of saffron to the lucky participant.
Are you on Twitter?
For extra entry points, copy this message below and retweet:
@RawEpicurean offers a gift-the most expensive spice in the world SAFFRON courtesy @MtnRoseHerbs Enter drawing here http://bit.ly/aHjDIB
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Comments
23 Comments so far
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Herb of the Month
Red Clover our featured spice for April. We'll highlight its benefits, showcase it in raw vegan recipes, and at the end of the month a reader's name will be drawn from the comments, and our sponsor
will send that person products featuring red clover. Thank you for participating!
[...] Saffron :: Herb of the Month [...]
Saffron is a very versatile herb. It’s best in rice, but my husband and children like it on fish.
Saffron reminds me of homemade paella, yum! I’d love to try it in some raw dishes too. Thanks! :)
I’ve never tried saffron, but would really love to try it.
I have had this spice in vegan dishes in restaurants. Would love to have a supply of organic saffron to try in vegan dishes as I love to cook with all kinds of spices.
i would love to try the saffron in a paella recipe! I have a diehard love for seafood paella, but have always hesitated in trying to make it at home. I think this would be a great way for me to get over my fear!
I never used it, but have always wanted to try it.
I’ve ALWAYS wanted to try saffron. I’ve made recipes where they require saffron and I didn’t have access to it and used turmeric instead (per their suggestion). While the recipes turned out good, I can only imagine how great they would be if they had saffron in it!
i’ve always shyed away from buying it because i never know whether i’m getting a ‘good kind’ or a cheap knock-off. somehow i don’t think that $1.99 at the check-out stand is quite up to snuff and paying much more without really knowing about it is not that appealing. how can you tell if you are getting the ‘real’ thing?
looking forward to finding a raw recipe with saffron in it.
I never knew how to use saffron or how to store it, would LOVE to try it, especially organic saffron.
I’ve never tried saffron, but have always been eager to try it. I have never seen it used with raw chocolate and would like to see how it works with truffles. I ADORE making all sorts of interesting combinations, like putting cardamom in my raw cheesecakes, so this could be a lot of fun to try!! :o)
I love saffron. I just recently rediscovered it and made a raw mac and cheese dish with it. The saffron gave it a unique flavor and a beautiful color.
I have ALWAYS wanted to cook with this spice but hesitated because of the price. Would love to share this new culinary experience with my family!
I adore saffron with cauliflower.
I was moments away from being named Saffron by my mum before my conservative pops stepped in. Fortunately as a result people still seem compelled to gift me with those tiny boxes of crimson tendrils whenever I’m away from home. Unfortunately I’ve never been able to find a vegan recipe that incorporates saffron and as a result I end up re-gifting my treasures to my carnivorous friends. Can’t wait ’til you post a saffron raw food recipe that I can try ouy…and it would be amazing if I had some organic saffron to go along with it ;)
HI!!!
Haven’t chatted in so long. Hope you’re doing great!
xxooxxoo,
Kristen
Safron! So delicious, but so pricey!
I’m with Lisa. I’ve never been able to try saffron due to the cost. :/ I’d love to give it a go. Especially since I’m trying to be more creative with my spices in lieu of using the stove and oven less.
I am looking forward to recipes with saffron. I love it on cauliflower purée
R
I’ve always loved saffron for its sensory appeal, and I respect anything with the kind of strength and potency that it possesses. In my life, I have always had saffron in cooked dishes. Now that I’m “living raw,” I’m very interested in what uses I can find for it in uncooked cuisine.
In addition to Saffron Rice made at home, I would like to try making English Saffron Bread
I would like to try preparing Grilled Herb Chicken with Saffron or Seafood Pilaf with Saffron