| Saffron deserves such a description not only for the | | | | was also being added to herb teas as a cure for |
| bright yellow or orange color, which gives the dish its | | | | melancholy. |
| distinctive look, but also because of its price, allowing | | | | Worthless substitutes |
| this spice to be called the world's most expensive | | | | There are medieval documents stating that |
| spice. And most counterfeited spice, as well. It takes | | | | counterfeiters were punished to death for saffron |
| 150,000 hand picked crocuses blooms to produce 35 | | | | falsification. Today, the usual methods of counterfeiting |
| ounces of spice. The largest crocus plantations are in | | | | saffron are mixing it with beet, pomegranate fibers, |
| Iran. It produces about 80 percent of world's need of | | | | red-colored silk threads or tasteless and odorless parts |
| saffron. Saffron is also being produced in India, Spain | | | | of crocuses. Other options are immersing the saffron |
| and Greece. Some small gourmet shops have saffron | | | | threads into honey or oil. Soaked saffron gain more |
| available for purchase from New Zealand, France and | | | | weight. In fact powdered saffron is being counterfeited |
| Switzerland and even U.S | | | | most often. Spices like curcuma, marigold petals, yellow |
| Noble spice | | | | peppers, and other "thinners" are being used. Selling |
| Historians and biologists decided to prepare saffron | | | | saffron without labels is another deception as it will |
| documents of origin, the first record of it was found in | | | | usually be the saffron mixture of inferior quality, |
| the current Iraqi territory. Saffron-based pigments have | | | | presented as the highest quality flavor. |
| been found on 50 000 years old paintings depicting | | | | The king of culinary |
| wild animals. Alexander the Great used saffron for | | | | Even saffron it self does not have a pleasant taste, |
| various sauces with rice dishes during his conquest of | | | | saffron greatly emphasizes the characteristics of |
| Asia campaign 3500 BC. He also used saffron in | | | | dishes and give them a nice color. It is regularly being |
| baths, to treat battle wounds. Around the same time | | | | used in Iranian, Central Asian, Indian, Turkish and |
| Chinese medical expert Wan Zhen wrote that saffron | | | | Moroccan cuisines. In Spain, Italy and France, it is being |
| is the homeland of Kashmir, where people used it as a | | | | added to soups, sauces, fish and rice dishes. United |
| sacrifice for Buddha. People there used to dry | | | | Kingdom and Scandinavian countries use saffron then |
| crocuses blooms for few days and then produced | | | | baking biscuits, pastries and cakes. Only tiny pinch of |
| saffron, valued for its yellow coloring feature. In | | | | golden spice is needed for dish. Too much of saffron |
| addition, it was used for flavoring wine. | | | | makes dishes bitter. It is recommended to soak |
| Perfume manufacturers in Egypt, physicians in Gaza, | | | | saffron in warm water before using it so it improves |
| and Greek goddesses used saffron to produce | | | | its features. For the preparation of baked goods, |
| perfumes, oils, scented mixtures of dried plants, face | | | | saffron is being mixed with dough. Then cooking other |
| painting, to sacrifice it to the gods and to treat a wide | | | | dishes, saffron is added few minutes before the end |
| range of physical and mental disabilities. It was even | | | | of cooking. |
| sprinkled into bed sheets to boost energy and vitality. It | | | | |