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saffron - more expensive that gold

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saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Gillthepainter » Mon Apr 02, 2018 11:15 am

Aaaaaargh.

Mary Berry. I do have to turn her off.
Why can't chefs just add a pinch of saffron. Without banging on about it being the stem of the crocus, and more expensive than gold.
Always.

Stop it!

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Alexandria » Mon Apr 02, 2018 11:27 am

Spain is a fairly large Saffron producer (Castilla La Mancha - Toledo Appellation ) and it is not that expensive here.

4 Grams of sustainable natural Superior Quality Saffron threads filaments: 2.50 Euros - ( Paella which is what we use it for predominately .. )


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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Sakkarin » Mon Apr 02, 2018 11:34 am

By coincidence, that Felicity Cloake Hot Cross Bun recipe that you commented on the other day gave me an angry saffron moment, which I only noticed when I went looking for the butter content in response to your post.

What on earth is the point of that pinch of saffron in a Hot Cross Bun recipe???

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... cross-buns

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Gillthepainter » Mon Apr 02, 2018 11:47 am

Point less, Sakkers.
I must confess, I had saffron mussels in Dijon, and the flavour was divine. But it was a simple dish.

Rick Stone made a baked fish, cream and mace dish years ago. That was it. I should think fish, cream and saffron would be jolly nice.

I think you can barely taste anything else with mixed peel in something.
But I'm someone who has to pick mixed peel out of things.

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Gillthepainter » Mon Apr 02, 2018 11:53 am

Alexandria.
Apart from being one of my favourite places in Spain, Toledo has a super ev olive oil too.
Montes de Toledo Zaitun - something like that. (I think it's from Toledo due to the name anyway).

I can never find it any more. Sniff.

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon Apr 02, 2018 11:56 am

I do use saffron, I buy a 1g box about every year or 18 months, I see the last one cost £4.69
You could really smell the saffron in Felicity's HCBs but I mainly use it in rice dishes

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby strictlysalsaclare » Mon Apr 02, 2018 1:05 pm

Sakkarin wrote:By coincidence, that Felicity Cloake Hot Cross Bun recipe that you commented on the other day gave me an angry saffron moment, which I only noticed when I went looking for the butter content in response to your post.

What on earth is the point of that pinch of saffron in a Hot Cross Bun recipe???

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... cross-buns


Maybe Felicity Cloake was going down the Cornish Saffron Bun route? Having had the latter the saffron doesn't really add much IMHO, despite me being 1/4 Cornish thanks to one of my grandads!

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Gillthepainter » Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:00 pm

Ooooo, on the Cornish vein.
Do chefs always have to say, Cornish pasties - one half was savoury and one half was sweet for when they went down the mine.

We know already.

Ciabatta - means slipper in Italian........ leave it out !!!!

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Joanbunting » Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:19 pm

Our next door neighbour is a saffron producer and it is very high grade. I use a large pinch of filaments today in a veal navarain for lunch. You could smell it all over the house, but not in an offensive way.

I imagine the inclusion in hot cross buns must be made by a cook who is familiar to Cornish cooking and saffron buns. I don't see it myself.

Alexandria €2.50 for 4.00 gr of best saffron seems extremely cheap to me and it is quite a big pot of filaments. Julien, our neighbour sells a 1 gr jar for €30.00 and that amount lasts me a long time - and I use it quite a lot Only I don't pay for it anyway, except in fresh eggs from our hens and sometimes a birthday cake for one of their little boys!

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:45 pm

She did comment that saffron improved the colour as well as the flavour of the hot cross buns, I though it worked well

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Alexandria » Tue Apr 03, 2018 12:17 am

Joan, :wave :wave

Spain is quite a bit cheaper than France, on staples and it is a large producer and large exporter ..

The thread filaments are wrapped in a special paper and boxed in paper as well ..

I use saffron frequently as I love regional Valencian, Alicantine and Murcian rices ..

Yes, it is quite aromatic and exceptionally pleasant ..

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Alexandria » Tue Apr 03, 2018 12:33 am

Toledo, Castilla La Mancha Extra Virgin Olive Oil :lol:

There are approximately 60 designations of Evoo in Spain and The Montes de Toledo is one of the most important in this autonomous region.

However, this all depends on what type of Evoo you require and what you are using it for; sauté-ing or salads etcetra ..

I am veered towards Green Evoo (Bio) for Salads from Gerona & Tarragona; Golden, from Jaén (Baeza región) as well as Extremadura for sauté - ing; and I am also very fond of Evoos from Italy as well and Provençe, France ..

However, I have 25 bottles of Evoo, and am very curious and experimental .. I attend many travel and gastronomic Trade Fairs, and get to sample uncountable types .. :clap :clap
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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby karadekoolaid » Tue Apr 03, 2018 1:14 pm

I use it in rice and, occasionally, for fish/seafood. Lasts for years!

A while back, when Venezuela was still a viable business centre, I did a little investigation on saffron. Iran and Kashmir , at that time, were the biggest producers of fine saffron. I´d always thought it was Spain, but there you are!

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Stokey Sue » Tue Apr 03, 2018 1:28 pm

I bought back Kashmiri saffron from India. Wonderful (and a good price). Had I realised it was going to be that good, I'd have bought it as gifts for everyone!

There was a TV programme about saffron some time ago, Spain is not the biggest producer but claims that La Mancha saffron is the best. Also, the auctions for wholesale saffron are held in Spain, including saffron from other countries, hence saffron sold here and in France is often from Iran but packed in Spain for retail sale. Whether you think this is a scam or not depends on how clear the label is; most I have seen is quite clearly labelled these days, but it was not always the case I think.

Mine is very clearly labelled Pure Spanish Saffron, with a reference code for the origin

There is a mini renaissance of UK saffron production, it was a big thing in the south of England in medieval times, hence the town name, Saffron Walden (in Essex, not far form London)

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Joanbunting » Tue Apr 03, 2018 3:02 pm

I know the saffron I use is local. I've helped pick it ! Backbreaking work and so fiddly - No wonder it is expensive.

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Alexandria » Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:04 am

Stokey Sue, :thumbsup

Spanish labelling laws are quite strict now and all Saffron I have purchased is labelled, with the Designation of Origin or Appellation ..

All transgenetics or genetically modified items are also labelled .. as bio or ecological or sustainable .. It is law ..

Fresh fruit and veggies are placed in wooden boxes or crates and there is a sign post in each crate marked with name, price and origin ..

Have a lovely evening .. :wave :wave
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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Alexandria » Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:06 am

Joan, :wave :wave

Same here ..

Definitely, is not an easy task to pick ..

Have a lovely evening .. :wave :wave :wave
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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby karadekoolaid » Wed Apr 04, 2018 1:01 am

Now I recall...
Each saffron crocus has three pistils.
There`s only one day, I think, when the pistils can be harvested, in order to obtain the finest saffron.
The crocus need to be harvested by hand.
In order to harvest a kilo of saffron, it is necessary to harvest around 650,000 - 750,000 flowers :crying1

There is an imitation saffron sold in Turkey. Can´t for the life of me remember what it´s called; but it´s nowhere close to the real thing!

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Joanbunting » Wed Apr 04, 2018 2:42 pm

Correct KK. The fake stuff is usually safflower - absolutely no resemblance to the real thing.

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Re: saffron - more expensive that gold

Postby Alexandria » Thu Apr 05, 2018 12:04 am

Good Point to Mention Karakoolaide & Joan, :clap :clap


Ssaflower, is definitely not saffron ..


Have a lovely evening .. :wave :wave
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.

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