Saffron: 150,000 Flowers for One Kilogram of Red Gold | Spice Library Record 017
Saffron: 150,000 Flowers for One Kilogram of Red Gold | Spice Library Record 017 Library Card Crocus sativus Scientific Name: Crocus sativus Family: Iridaceae (iris family) Origin: Eastern Mediterranean and Iranian plateau (scholarly debate continues) Part Used: Dried red stigmas — three per flower, hand-harvested Flavor Profile: Honey and dried hay; faint metallic note; slightly bitter. Color: intense golden yellow Key Compounds: Crocin (color), Safranal (aroma), Picrocrocin (bitter taste) Historical Value: 3,500+ years documented; depicted in Minoan frescoes; used by Cleopatra and Alexander the Great; subject of a 14th-century European war Price: $3,000–10,000 per kilogram — the world's most expensive spice by weight Essential Pairing: Seafood and rice (paella, risotto, bouillabaisse); rice dishes (Persian chelow, Indian biryani) Storage: Airtight, light-blocked container in a cool place (2–3 years) World's largest producer: Iran (~90% of global sup...