Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of the saffron crocus ,
a species of crocus. A most precious and expensive spice. One of the
finest in the world: Saffron.
The Saffron filaments, or threads, are the dried stigmas of the saffron
flower, "Crocus Sativus Linneaus". Each flower contains only
three stigmas. These threads must be picked from each flower by hand,
and more than 75,000 of these flowers are needed to produce just one
pound of Saffron filaments, the cause of the cost.
Saffron is characterised by a bitter taste and a hay like fragrance caused by the chemicals picrocrocin and safranal. It also contains a carotenoid dye, crocin, that gives food a rich golden yellow hue. These traits make saffron a sought after ingredient in many foods worldwide. Saffron also has medicinal applications.
The domesticated saffron crocus C. sativus is a fall flowering perennial plant unknown in the wild.
A saffron crocus thrives in climates similar to Mediterranean maquis or the North American chaparral, where hot, dry summer breezes blow across arid and semi-arid lands.
Saffron based pigments have been found in 50,000 year old depictions of prehistoric beasts in what is Iraq. Later, the Sumerians used wild growing saffron in their remedies and magical potions.
In Europe, saffron cultivation declined steeply following the Roman Empire's fall. Saffron was reintroduced when Moorish civilization spread to Spain.
Europeans brought saffron to the Americas when immigrant members of the Schwenkfelder Church left Europe with a trunk containing saffron corms; indeed, many Schwenkfelders had widely grown saffron in Europe.
Minoans portrayed saffron in their palace frescoes between 1500 1600 BC, showing saffron's use as a therapeutic drug. Later, Greek legends told of sea voyages to Cilicia. There, adventurers hoped to procure what they believed was the world's most valuable saffron. A legend tells of Crocus and Smilax, whereby Crocus is bewitched and transformed into the original saffron crocus.
Saffron's aroma is often described by connoisseurs as reminiscent of metallic honey with grassy or hay like notes, while its taste has been noted also as hay like, yet bitter. Saffron also contributes a luminous yellow orange colouring to foods. Because of the unusual taste and colouring it adds to foods, saffron is widely used in Arab, Central Asian, European, Indian, Iranian, and Moroccan cuisines.
In the Middle Ages Saffron Walden was famous for its saffron industry. The area has a Conservative MP. They still produce Eliabethan saffron cake in the area from the ingredients which would have been coming into the town at that time: potatoes, figs, prunes, dates and of course saffron.
Saffron Walden is an historic medieval town and over the 360 years between 1140 and 1500, the success of different trades helped Saffron Walden grow up to become the successful and thriving town it is today.
Saffron Walden is the only town in the country to be associated with
the precious crop. Saffron was in great demand for the woollen industry
and brought wealth to the town. The church benefited greatly from this
commodity as spare gardens were used to grow saffron to provide money
for the church. The wealth the church gained can still be seen today
in the form of the magnificent spire which adorns the church.
In the Irish sport of hurling there is a team called Saffron.
Saffron Burrows is a famous actress who has been in Deep Blue Sea and Enigma
Saffron is a famous character in Absolutely Fabulous She is a dedicated fan of Cherie Blair.
Similar sounding names to Saffron
The Renault Safrane was an executive car designed and built by the French manufacturer Renault from 92 to 2000.
Chevron: Car company in the USA
In Walter Scott's Novel The Antiquary chapter 40 there is a line "They hae bridled a hundred black, With a chafron of steel on each horse's head" The word means according to some academics the same as cheveron, which is like a dollar.
The Afron is a self propelled elevating platform for picking and pruning various types of fruit trees, from about 2.5 meter up to 16 meter height, controlled by a single operator from a platform.
Crocus sativus, zafferano = Italian
Safran = German
Azafrán = Spanish
Açafrão = Portugese
Saffraan = Holland
Sahrami = Svenska
Safrano = Esperanto
The name Safran is a surname in German, French, Hungarian (Sáfrán), and Jewish (Ashkenazic) society. Derrived from Middle High German saffran, Old French safran ‘saffron’, Hungarian sáfrány, German Safran ‘saffron’. The surname is from the bright yellow spice and colorant derived from the stigmas of crocus, hence the surname was often from the occupational name for a spicer or a nickname for someone with reddish yellow hair. The word is derived from Arabic zafaran. The Jewish name is mainly ornamental. It can be an Americanized spelling of Polish Szafran, which has the same origin .
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