Saffron is one of the world’s most expensive spices, yet it takes about 200,000 hand-picked flowers to produce just one pound of the spice. Despite its high price, saffron has been used in food preparation, medicine and dyes since ancient times. The saffron spice comes from the stigma (the female reproductive organ) of the crocus flower. Although there are only three stigmas in each flower, they are carefully harvested by hand while they are still moist, which means that each flower must be picked individually. One pound of dry saffron contains about 1 million dry stigmas.

Saffron is native to Southwest Asia and grown today in Spain, Italy, France and India. The highest quality saffron comes from Spain and is known as Coupe or Poushal Grade Saffron. This saffron is deep red and consists of only the stigmas (threads) without any yellow style (the part that attaches the stigma to the flower). Spanish saffron is graded according to how many pieces of yellow style are mixed in with each 15 threads. Each 15 threads should be no longer than a matchstick head, which allows flavor to develop more quickly and efficiently during cooking.

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world and has been used throughout history for a variety of purposes. It comes from the stigmas of a purple crocus flower, Crocus sativus. Each flower only has three stigmas, which must be hand-picked and then dried before use. In fact, it takes an average of 75,000 blossoms to make just one pound of saffron!

Because of its delicate nature and labor-intensive harvesting process, saffron is also known as “red gold.” The spice was even used as currency in ancient times — quite literally! While saffron’s high price tag may give you pause when you’re shopping, you’ll find that a little goes a long way.

In cooking, saffron adds flavor to many traditional dishes. From paella to risotto to bouillabaisse, it’s often included as a key ingredient. When added to water or other liquids, it lends both color and flavor. It can be ground into powder or steeped in hot water for about an hour before using.

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. It’s derived from the saffron crocus flower, which produces a single thread that must be hand picked and dried. Saffron is used for dying fabric and flavoring food, especially rice dishes. It has a unique flavor and aroma.

Saffron grows best in dry climates found in countries such as Iran, Greece, Morocco, Spain and India. The spice is very expensive because the process of harvesting it is so labor-intensive: Each flower contains three strands of saffron, which must be removed by hand; it takes about 75,000 flowers to produce one pound of saffron threads.

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, and its price reflects not only its rarity but also the difficulty in harvesting and processing it. The spice is derived from the stigmas of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus), a member of the iris family. There are three stigmas to each flower, and each one must be carefully hand-picked. It takes about 225,000 hand-harvested flowers to produce just one pound of saffron, which generally sells for about $5,000 to $10,000 a pound.

According to “The Oxford Companion to Food,” saffron was used in ancient Greece as a perfume and dye as well as a flavor ingredient. The Romans considered it an aphrodisiac. Saffron came from Asia Minor (now Turkey) to Europe via Greece and Italy. The Moors brought it to Spain during the 8th century, where it has remained popular for both cooking and coloring.

Saffron never really caught on in America except for some traditional use in New England chowders and lobsters bisque; however, with increased interest in ethnic foods this spice is now enjoying a comeback.

Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the “saffron crocus”. The vivid crimson stigmas and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent in food. Saffron was long among the world’s most costly spices by weight. Although some doubts remain on its origin, it is believed that saffron originated in Greece.

Called kesar in Hindi, za’faran in Arabic, or safran in French, it has long been the world’s most expensive spice by weight. But a little goes a long way: just a few threads will flavor an entire dish.

Saffron is used extensively as a flavouring agent in Persian cuisine hence why it may be referred to as “Persian saffron”. Saffron is also used as a flavouring agent in various Indian dishes such as kheer (rice pudding), biryani (meat-and-rice casserole), Kashmiri pulao rice and many other rice dishes. It is also used to make kashaya (a drink) and masala chai (spiced tea). In India it is used not only for its flavour

In spite of its cost, saffron remains one of the most popular spices in the world. Like any spice, it has many uses, but cooking is the most popular. Saffron’s use as a dye is also very important.

Saffron is used to flavor and color food. It is one of the three most expensive spices by weight. People use it in cooking as a seasoning and coloring agent for food. Saffron from Iran is known as superior quality and commands more than double the price of Indian saffron.

Saffron has more than 150 aroma compounds that contribute to its taste and smell. Safranal gives saffron its distinctive taste; it’s also responsible for saffron’s fragrance. Picrocrocin gives saffron its bitter taste. Crocin gives saffron its characteristic golden-yellow hue.

Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice. This suggests an obvious question: why?

Saffron comes from Crocus sativus, a perennial flowering plant. It’s a member of the lily family, which also includes onions and garlic. Saffron has been cultivated for over 3,000 years.

To get saffron, you have to harvest it from the crocus flowers. A single flower has just three stigmas—the part of the flower that gets harvested for saffron—which means you need about 150 flowers to yield enough stigmas for one gram of saffron. You can imagine how this would be a problem in ancient times: picking saffron was very labor intensive.

It’s still labor-intensive today, though not as much as it used to be. The majority of saffron is grown in Iran (approximately 90% worldwide), where they’ve been cultivating it and improving techniques since ancient times.