Saffron is thousands of years old. The earliest mentions of him date back to 1500 BC - this is an image of people collecting saffron, seen by archaeologists on one of the walls of a palace in Crete. Ancient Chinese medicine books describe the healing properties of the flower.
Saffron history
Saffron has always been valued very highly, this is due to the complexity of its cultivation and collection - 2 thousand flowers give only about 1 kilogram of spice. Previously, only wealthy people could add saffron to dishes. In Europe, the seasoning appeared approximately in the 9th century thanks to the Spaniards, and they learned about saffron from the Arabs. Enterprising merchants of the Middle Ages made fortunes on this spice. Those who by hook or by crook tried to fake saffron, using other plants or making it heavier, could pay with their lives - some of them were burned or buried alive. In some situations, unscrupulous traders were stripped of all their property.
Saffron in cooking
Saffron is so versatile that it can be added to all dishes: pies, cookies, cakes, ice cream, jellies, puddings, breads and fruit desserts. Saffron jams, creams and mousses will acquire a unique aroma. In some countries, saffron can be found in tea or coffee; many culinary experts add it to cheeses and butter for aroma and taste. The ideal flavor combination is rice and saffron, but in general this spice is usually added to hot dishes of fish, meat, seafood, poultry, mushrooms and vegetables.
How to choose the right saffron
The stigma of saffron should be dark - this indicates its quality. It is better to refuse the powder option, since you can come across a fake. You don't need to buy a lot of saffron at a time, as over time it dries up, fades and loses its unique flavor.
Saffron rules
For cooking, just a few veins of saffron are enough; in large doses, it can harm health. This spice is never combined with others, so it is impossible to find on store shelves to sweep away spices with saffron in the composition. Add saffron to hot dishes 5 minutes before cooking. To maximize its taste, you can fry the veins in a dry frying pan, and then grind into powder.
