Some saffron questions ... I've seen some pretty high priced saffron at some
stores. My wife works at a kitchen store some times and they have a bottle
of saffron threads (Crocus Sativus L) that goes for about $5-6 (it's 1 gram,
0.0363 ounces). This seems cheap to me ... you too? It's from Barcelona,
Spain and is labeled 'Mancha-Ora'. I only use it in rissoto and it seems to
work/taste/color just fine. A label on the back states: 32-48 servings.

Are threads cheaper than ground saffron? How does country of origin affect
the price/quality?

Anything else ...

Bob

A Different Bob wrote:

> Some saffron questions ... I've seen some pretty high priced saffron at
> some stores. My wife works at a kitchen store some times and they have a
> bottle of saffron threads (Crocus Sativus L) that goes for about $5-6
> (it's 1 gram, 0.0363 ounces). This seems cheap to me ... you too? It's
> from Barcelona, Spain and is labeled 'Mancha-Ora'. I only use it in
> rissoto and it seems to work/taste/color just fine. A label on the back
> states: 32-48 servings.
>
> Are threads cheaper than ground saffron? How does country of origin
> affect the price/quality?

Threads are generally more expensive than ground saffron, because ground
saffron is often adulterated with turmeric.

Country of origin affects quality in the same way that it affects coffee:
Different growing conditions result in different crops.

Bob

On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 18:53:58 GMT, "Bob" >
wrote:

> How does country of origin affect
> the price/quality?

I've noticed that Spanish saffron is less expensive too.
Don't know why.

http://saffron.com/cons_guide.html

sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 18:53:58 GMT, "Bob" >
wrote:

> How does country of origin affect
> the price/quality?

I've noticed that Spanish saffron is less expensive too.
Don't know why.

http://saffron.com/cons_guide.html

sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

>"Bob"

>Some saffron questions ... I've seen some pretty high priced saffron at some
>stores. My wife works at a kitchen store some times and they have a bottle
>of saffron threads (Crocus Sativus L) that goes for about $5-6 (it's 1 gram,
>0.0363 ounces). This seems cheap to me ... you too? It's from Barcelona,
>Spain and is labeled 'Mancha-Ora'. I only use it in rissoto and it seems to
>work/taste/color just fine. A label on the back states: 32-48 servings.
>
>Are threads cheaper than ground saffron? How does country of origin affect
>the price/quality?
>
>Anything else ...
>
>Bob
>
>

That's about the going price for high quality saffron in my neck of the woods.
The best is all red stamens, next grade has some yellow ones. Powdered is of
dubious origin and is usually avoided. There is also a cheap mexican version
which is carthamus tinctorius L.- not true saffron. The best saffron is said to
come from Spain.

http://www.thespicehouse.com/categor...ct_type_50.php has some info

*cheers*

Barb Anne

*CORRECTION*
Stigmas not stamens but I think they are basically the same part of a flower.

*laughs*

Barb Anne

On 27 Dec 2004 22:38:34 GMT, (Barbtail)
wrote:

> *CORRECTION*
> Stigmas not stamens but I think they are basically the same part of a flower.
>
> *laughs*
>
Whoa! We have a real sexual thing going on here! As far as
I can tell:
stamen is female
stigma is male

I'm not a saffron expert, so I don't know... which is it?
The stamen, the stigma or both? I only know that they
should be red with no yellow.



sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

Bob wrote:

> Some saffron questions ... I've seen some pretty high priced saffron
at some
> stores. My wife works at a kitchen store some times and they have a
bottle
> of saffron threads (Crocus Sativus L) that goes for about $5-6 (it's
1 gram,
> 0.0363 ounces). This seems cheap to me ... you too? It's from
Barcelona,
> Spain and is labeled 'Mancha-Ora'. I only use it in rissoto and it
seems to
> work/taste/color just fine. A label on the back states: 32-48
servings.
>
> Are threads cheaper than ground saffron? How does country of origin
affect
> the price/quality?
>
> Anything else ...

>From the Penzeys website:

Saffron is the stigma of the fall flowering crocus. Peek inside most
any flower, and you will see three threadlike filaments. These are
stigma - but only in the saffron crocus are these stigma worth
thousands of dollars per pound. Saffron is so valuable because it is a
very labor intensive crop, and only 5-7 pounds of saffron can be
produced from each acre of land. This makes saffron the most expensive
spice by weight - it always has been - but by use saffron isn't that
expensive, because a little goes a long way. A single gram of saffron
easily translates into golden color and fragrant flavor in 10 recipes
of saffron rice for four, several batches of bread, or a couple of big
pots of paella. At Penzeys, we sell three different grades of Saffron:

Kashmir "Mogra Cream" Indian Saffron is the world's finest saffron. The
dark red color and long perfect strands are as beautiful as they are
colorful and flavorful. Kashmir saffron is awfully tough to obtain,
which makes it higher in price, but Kashmir Mogra Cream Saffron is
truly wonderful.

Spanish Coup=E9 Saffron is the top grade of the Spanish Saffron crop.
Extra hand labor is used to remove every bit of the yellow saffron
style material, leaving 100% beautiful pure red saffron threads -hence
the name: coup=E9 means "to cut", as in cutting off all the yellow bits.
Spanish Coup=E9 Saffron is a truly excellent crop, especially nice for
the traditional Spanish dishes.

Spanish Superior Saffron is the most widely available saffron and is a
very good crop. Spanish Superior Saffron has a bit of the yellow style
material left attached to some of the saffron stigmas (see photo), so
it is not quite as strong as Spanish Coup=E9 or Kashmir Indian Saffron.

Saffron contains 450-500 saffron stigmas to the gram. The stigma are
also called threads, strings, pieces or strands. 1 gram equals 2 tsp.
whole, 1 teaspoon crumbled or 1/2 teaspoon powdered. Don't buy
pre-powdered saffron because it loses flavor quickly and is usually cut
with turmeric or something else.<<<<<

Derek Juhl

Barbtail > wrote:
>dubious origin and is usually avoided. There is also a cheap mexican version
>which is carthamus tinctorius L.- not true saffron.

Yep, and it smells like feet when used like regular saffron.

I honestly don't know if any real mexican food uses the stuff.

--Blair
"I hope not."

>Whoa! We have a real sexual thing going on here! As far as
>I can tell:
>stamen is female
>stigma is male

>I'm not a saffron expert, so I don't know... which is it?
>The stamen, the stigma or both? I only know that they
>should be red with no yellow.
>
>
>
>sf
>Practice safe eating - always use condiments

I always get the two cornfused *laughs* stigmas stamens men women - they all
look alike with their petals on.

*tease*

Barb Anne

Yes indeed! Carthamus tinctorius is safflower (like in the oil). It
gives some color but little taste.

D.M.

Yes indeed! Carthamus tinctorius is safflower (like in the oil). It
gives some color but little taste.

D.M.

Yes indeed! Carthamus tinctorius is safflower (like in the oil). It
gives some color but little taste.

D.M.