Spanish Saffron
Gourmet Mancha Saffron at its finest. The red stigmas on the crocus flower, when dried
is saffron.
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Saffron
Just a few threads of saffron are enough to give an enhancing
color and special touch of flavor to rice, soups, stews, sauces, sweets and
bakery.
Usage: Dissolve saffron, for about 20 minutes, in something hot,
something acidic or something alcoholic, depending on the ingredients of the
recipe. To extract all the aroma, flavor and color rub the saffron with a spoon. Typical usage 4 to 6
filaments per person.
Alternate Extraction method: Slightly toast the filaments wrapped in a piece of paper on the
lid of the boiling pot. Afterwards grind with a mortar or rub with your fingers
in the same paper. Add to the dish dissolved in some water or broth.
Storage: Store saffron in a cool dry place, protected from the direct
exposure to light. Saffron combines perfectly with garlic, thyme, tomato, ginger
and lemon. When cooking with saffron avoid using wooden utensils, because they
tend to absorb the saffron flavor.
Quality Test 1: To determine if a dye has been used to imitate
saffron. Take the saffron and place in warm water or milk. If it colors the
water or milk immediately, this is artificial dye coming off quickly. Genuine Mancha
(Spanish) saffron will soak in warm milk or water for a few minutes before the
darker color, flavor and aroma develop. To see the full color, rub the
real saffron with a spoon after a couple of minutes of soaking.
Quality Test 2: Real Natural Saffron will have some stigmas
which vary gradually in color from dark red to yellow.
Quality Test 3: Real High Quality Saffron will have some stigmas
which are still connected together at one end as this is how they grow in the
flower.
Qualities of Saffron
The I.S.O. (International Standard
Organization) defines in its norm 3632-2 1994 the different qualities of
saffron in filaments and powder based in their chemical properties. This
is gathered in the following table:
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