Saffron

Saffron is the dried stigma (receptive tip of the female reproductive organ in a plant) of the “Crocus Sativus” flower, the finest of which comes from Persia. The name of the plant comes from the Greek word krokos meaning saffron or yellow. The word saffron comes from the Arabic word za’fran referring to the spice. Saffron is part of many cuisines around the world and the Minoans had pictures of saffron in their palaces as long ago as 1,600 BC, showing how it could be used as a medicine. It takes 75,000 saffron blossoms or 225,000 stigmas to produce a single pound of spice, making it the most expensive in the world. It has delicate floral, earthy, woody notes with subtle suede undertones.