*This post is going to be about how you can use saffron and make it worth your money. People are often a little bit put off by the price tag that comes with it, but there are ways to use saffron in your everyday cooking that don’t cost as much as you might think.

Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice. It can range in price from £200 to £2,000 per kilogram. In America, it sells for about $4,000 per kilogram. The reason for the insane prices is its rarity. Most of the world’s saffron comes from Iran, and only about 60 tons are produced every year.

Birth of Saffron

Saffron has been cultivated in Western Asia since at least the Bronze Age. Its exoticism is evident in its botanical name: Crocus sativus means “Greek hay.” Which is a little confusing because it’s not actually a hay, but rather a perennial herbaceous plant that flowers with bright red stigmas that can be dried and used as a spice and food colouring agent.

It was used as a perfume before becoming popular as a seasoning and dye for foods such as rice and pastas, including some versions of risotto Milanese.

Why Do We Use So Little Saffron When It Costs Thousands?

It is estimated that roughly 80% of the world’s supply of saffron is grown in Kashmir. But the government of India doesn’t allow exports of this crop, which has

Saffron costs a lot because it’s so hard to make. It takes 75,000 handpicked saffron stigmas to get 1 pound of saffron threads, and the entire process is painstaking. (It’s also why there are so many imitation saffron products on the market; they’re cheaper but lack flavor.) In fact, the threads are so delicate that they’re often packaged in silk or velvet pouches to protect them during shipping.

Tahari recommends starting with a pinch of saffron threads and then adding more if it isn’t strong enough. “It’s much nicer to add more than have an overpowering dish,” he says. But use too much and your dish will be bitter. “Overcooking with saffron makes it bitter,” Tahari warns, “so if you’re going to use it in cooking, remember that.”

Saffron is, at $500 a pound, the most expensive spice in the world. It actually costs more than gold by weight. The good news is that a little goes a long way and it will last you a lifetime (or two or three).

Who knew that saffron was so easy to use? You can cook with saffron and flavor everything from soups to meats to desserts. Want some inspiration? Check out these recipes below. We’ll take you step by step from no saffron to saffron-a-licious!

Saffron adds an intense floral aroma, a golden color, and subtle earthy notes to dishes. Its distinct aroma adds depth to casseroles, broths, soups, seafood dishes and rice dishes. It’s perfect for paella and risotto as well as baked goods like cookies, cakes and breads. Add it to desserts for a sublime finish. The possibilities are endless!

The saffron industry, which has a history of over 1,500 years, has been facing the threat of extinction since last few decades, as it is being smuggled in large quantities to other countries.

To protect its native market, the Indian government has restricted the import of the spice to just one kilogram a year. The decision was taken after authorities started investigating the sources of saffron found in other countries.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry had banned the saffron imports through sea route and only allowed it through air route, thereby restricting its entry into India.

As a result of this move by the government, there has been an increase in saffron price worldwide.

Saffron is extracted from thread like stigmas plucked from flowers of a certain variety of crocus flower. It takes about 75000 flowers to make one pound (450 grams) of dried saffron threads.

Now that you know how hard it is to harvest and how much each ounce costs, you will understand why we are so reluctant to use it.

Also, you must be aware that it is truly going to make your food flavorful but at the same time will leave a slightly bitter aftertaste because its flavor component is picrocrocin

Saffron is a spice that is used in many foods especially in Indian food. Saffron is a very expensive spice and you will see why if you read this article. I will tell you how to use saffron, how to store it, and how to cook with it.

Saffron comes from the flower of the saffron plant. It takes about 70,000 flowers to make 1 pound of saffron threads. It takes about 14 days for the flower to mature into a pod where the threads are harvested. The threads are then dried and packaged for sale. Saffron comes from Spain, France, India and Iran.

Saffron has been around for more than 3,500 years. Some of the earliest writings about saffron are from Roman times around 200 B.C. They use it as a medicine as well as food coloring.

The taste of saffron is slightly bitter with a strong hay like fragrance which makes it distinctive and unmistakable once you have tasted it or smelled it before. Saffron is also known as “red gold” because it has been so valued over time by some cultures that they would use it instead of money or gold in trade transactions.*

Saffron can be used in four different preparations:

1. As a seasoning for rice, meat and vegetables.

2. In desserts like rice pudding, ice cream or any other sweet preparation that calls for saffron as an ingredient.

3. As a coloring agent for liquors and spirits.

4. A stimulant for the skin, making it glow with a golden hue.