Saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) is not known in the wild. It appears to be the product of ancient plant breeding in Crete, apparently to select for flowers that held longer crimson stigmas. These stigmas, also called "threads," are the spice. Saffron crocus is cultivated primarily in the Mediterranean region and Middle East, with Iran and Greece leading the world in commercial production.
The plants are sterile and cannot set seed. Propagation is accomplished by digging the corms and removing the offsets. Harvesting the flowers is labor intensive. A single pound of dried saffron requires the harvesting of between 50,000 to 75,000 flowers which, in turn, would require a plot the size of a football field to grow.
Saffron has been used and traded for over four millennia.The spice is used in cooking in many cultures, but it is also used medicinally and for dyeing fabric. Cleopatra took saffron baths. Alexander the Great used it to treat battle wounds. Saffron has long been adulterated by adding such things as paprika, turmeric or even red silk threads. Bargain saffron will probably contain little actual saffron. In the Middle Ages in Europe, vendors who doctored up their saffron with other ingredients were executed.
To make sure you're getting pure saffron, grow it yourself. The corms are planted in early fall in a sunny spot. The thin leaves emerge in mid October when the flowers appear. The plants bloom for up to a month and the leaves persist through the winter and disappear in spring. My saffron crop has been thriving for nearly two decades.
To harvest the spice, it's best to pick the red stigmas on the morning the flower opens. Use your fingers or tweezers. Dry the stigmas on the kitchen counter for a few days and then store in an air-tight container. Exposure to air degrades the spice.
If you've never cooked with saffron, try this recipe provided by Proctor's Apprentice Julie Peterson.
Saffron Rice
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
2 cups hot water (divided)
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup long-grain rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Steep saffron in 1/2 cup of hot water. Meanwhile, in a skillet, melt butter and add rice and salt. Stir frequently to prevent rice from browning. When rice begins to absorb some of the butter, add saffron water and remaining hot water. Bring to a simmer and cover, stirring occasionally, until rice absorbs all of the water. Fluff and serve.
(KUSA-TV © 2011 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)