Cultivated for more than 3000 years, saffron is of Greek origin, Crete more precisely.
A descendant of the wild crocus, Crocus cartwrightianus , Crocus sativus was recognized for its long pistils and was later cultivated. The spice represents the pistil of the flower.
The crocus sativus is a bulb plant that gives birth to a purple flower during the fall. It is a plant whose cycle is reversed to the others: it flowers in autumn, develops in winter then the plant dies in spring and disappears with the first warm weather. The bulb underground will remain in vegetative rest until its next new cycle. It is one of the oldest cultivated spices.
Since its cultivation in Greece, saffron has spread first around the Mediterranean then in the East (Persia, Asia) and the West. In Europe it was the Moors who introduced it from Spain to France. They left their know-how in the Mancha region in Spain (today Saffron AOP La Mancha) and in France in particular, in Quercy and Albigensian in 732.
The most expensive food in the world, but not in its use
Picking saffron turns out to be a long-term job: At dawn, you have to pick the flowers one by one, delicately remove the pistil and so on throughout the flowering period (4 to 6 weeks). It is this work that makes the price of a kilo so expensive; it is in fact necessary to prune around 150,000-200,000 flowers to obtain a kilo of saffron.
However, the price per kilo is not a good benchmark, it only serves for media coverage, because it impresses. Do you look at the price of a tonne of wheat if you buy a packet of flour? No.
It must be brought back to its usual proportion. There are approximately 1 pistil, or three stigmas per person. This significantly reduces its cost, around 50 to 60 cents per dish. ; Comparatively, it is much more expensive to make a dish with a vanilla pod.
The most falsified spice in the world:
Since its cultivation, saffron has been the most falsified spice in the world. Pliny the Elder, a renowned Roman naturalist, already affirmed that “Adulteratur nihil aeque”, there was nothing more falsified.
In the 14th century, the city of Nuremberg in Germany was the hub of the saffron (and spices) trade. In order to protect the authenticity of saffron, the Safranschau code was imposed. It was a code containing specific standards for saffron but also punishments in the event of fraud. Penalties for fraud were severe because the code authorized officials to imprison or execute those guilty of fraud and their accomplices.
In France, repressive measures were also taken in the event of falsification. The edict of King Henry II, dating from March 18, 1550, presented rules to defend Saffron and punish its falsification in the famous fairs of Lyon. He ordered the confiscation of unfit merchandise and its destruction by fire with heavy fines for offenders.
Today, fraud still exists, it is even legion.
Two types of fraud are listed:
Substitute products:
Either by changing the appearance with similar substitute products; Such as marigold flowers, Safflower, corn husk, etc. Or, in the case of ground saffron, by adding paprika, turmeric, brick dust, etc…
Techniques for weighing down saffron:
Another technique aims to increase the weight of saffron with different elements: water to rehydrate it, honey, oil, leaving the style (yellow part of the base of the pistil, having little taste)
So, how to recognize a real saffron?
First of all, you must completely exclude the purchase of Saffron powder. You can never be sure if the powder contains only saffron. Always take raw saffron in pistils.
If you know the shape of the pistil and therefore the stigmata of a saffron, you will have no problem recognizing it. The stigma is purple red and is slightly flared at the top.
Pistil, stigma what is the difference? The flower provides a pistil which is made up of 3 small branches called a stigma.
A very simple technique then allows you to recognize a real saffron: Take one or two stigmas, place them on a white sheet of paper. Moisten your finger and move the stigma by pressing lightly on the leaf, you will immediately see that the stigma clearly and clearly colors the leaf orange-yellow. It's definitely saffron.
Any other colors (brown, red, purple, etc.) will indicate a falsified product.
Also check if the levels of crocin, picrocrocin and safranal are displayed, they demonstrate that the saffron has been analyzed.
Standards to qualify it and combat fraud:
Since 1993 there have been ISO standards which help to combat fraud and help recognize quality saffron producers. Saffron is considered pure when it complies with the requirements set out in ISO 3632 and no materials have been added to the natural product.
In addition, three chemical compounds are analyzed through this standard: Picrocrocin which gives the taste of saffron, Crocin for the yellow-orange color and Safranal, a volatile oil, which gives it its scent.
The ISO 3632 Standard establishes standard categories of saffron. It offers four classes; from the weakest category IV to category I, the best. Saffron samples are classified according to their concentration of Picrocrocin, Crocin and Safranal, analyzes carried out in certified laboratories. The results make it possible to classify the saffrons by quality according to the table below:
Our Saffron from Afghanistan
Saffron from Afghanistan is considered one of the best in the world. Our saffron from Afghanistan is first and foremost the story of a woman, Karima. She set up her small saffron business in Herat province, in northwest Afghanistan. With a few kilos of saffron produced each year, it is proud “to present to the world a positive image of Afghanistan”.
Its saffron is a rare and exceptional product due to its aromatic qualities. This is the best part of saffron, only the intense purple stigma. Removed from the style , the yellow part that attaches the pistil to the base of the flower. This is what we call neguine saffron.
Why this saffron?
We chose it for three reasons: the first is that it presents exceptional levels of Crocine (284), Picrocrocin (108) and Safranal (43) positioning it as a gastronomic saffron. The second is its aromatic expression: Beyond the bitterness of saffron, its almost “metallic” side, there are clearly sweet aromatic notes of honey, raisins, prune, dried straw, almost smoke. It is an aromatic product, ready to deliver all its flavors and scents.
Finally the third reason is the saffron of a human adventure. As a woman in a conservative Afghan society, Karima's path to establishing her business was not an easy one. Today we are happy to participate in the emancipation of Karima and her company.
How to use saffron?
Saffron is an infusion spice. It should not be used otherwise, at the risk of having little taste. Take lukewarm water and let your saffron infuse for 2 hours so that it releases all its scents and aromas. Then use this infusion for your cooking. Never use saffron with boiling water or in a simmering dish. In fact, heat above 70° tends to destroy the aromatic compounds in your saffron (notably the Safranal responsible for its scent). However, it is possible to infuse your saffron directly in a simmered dish: Turn off the heat, wait for the dish to become lukewarm, add the pistils. Leave to infuse, then reheat to serving temperature.
Conservation of saffron
Like all other spices, although it is aesthetically pleasing, it should not be exposed to light. Keep your saffron in a small opaque box and store it in a dry place away from moisture. Saffron can thus express all its power for up to a year and a half or even two years.