The Rose of Saffron: The World’s Most Expensive Spice
by Sharee Solow
Some spices cut like a knife, but sultry saffron envelopes classic ingredients with an alluring color and scent that can be difficult to describe. Use a blindfold on your keenest gourmand and see if they can identify the taste and aroma of this ancient culinary additive! To this day, the Castilla La Mancha region of Spain, with a unique combination of soil and climate, celebrates a thriving tradition of cultivating the “rose of saffron.” With a little background information, you can savor and grow this revered spice of legendary heroes and gods. Easier to grow than vegetables, anyone with a sunny window or garden spot can have enough of this ancient luxury for cooking those golden fall dishes or perfuming a cup of tea. Sometimes called “red gold,” it shouldn’t be confused with often suggested substitutes like paprika or turmeric, there is no substitute for the real thing.
To see the entire magazine article in the most recent issue of Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living, click the .pdf in my website under the tab “In the News”. Don’t worry, all four pages are in English.
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