Italian Traditional Food - Saffron The Spice Of Choice

The Yellow Spice Of Desire

Many Italians enjoy a good spice to bring a recipe to its glory or peak, one such adored spice is saffron and it is a wonder spice to be sure. This spice is a do it all spice, and to say a little goes a long way is an understatement. Just about every culture today uses saffron in at least one recipe, and the use of this fine spice does everything for the flavor that could be asked of it.

This spice is considered the most expensive spice in the world, and this is due to the tedious preparation and distribution techniques. It is said that it takes at least 100,000 strands to produce 1 pound of saffron today. This is quite laborious as it plant that the saffron is derived from the Crocus Sativus usually only yields 3 stigmas per plant. This is very hard work for those that actually do the picking, hence the increased cost to make this fine spice.

Spice Serendipity

Saffron can be considered a form of spice serendipity, as it was actually discovered by accident. While this may be the case, this spice has been a major staple in many Italian kitchens for hundreds of years and will continue to be a centerpiece of a great spice rack. While this spice is actually a main export of Iran, the Italians have been known to produce this spice in very small quantities.

The Iranians produce 90% of all saffron in the world today, and this spice still manages to make its way to various dinner tables around the world. You would be hard pressed to not find this spice in the most notable Italian restaurants worldwide, and the same can be said for the traditional family cooks in your house.

Multifaceted Ingredient

The saffron spice is used in several different recipes, some which include main courses and some that are of the dessert variety. This type of spice can have many uses, and it has even been used in tea to perk up the taste.

This makes this spice one of the most useful and productive spices you can find, and it should never be left out of your pantry-restocking list. The way to get the most out of saffron is to soak the strands prior to using the spice in a dish.

The longer you soak it, the stronger the saffron will be. This is great for some rice dishes or even soups that need that extra kick. The minimum saffron should be soaked for is 20-minutes, as this will allow you to get the great taste and the bright yellow coloring of the spice but not overpower what you are using it for.

Buying And Storing Saffron

When you are looking for saffron to purchase, you are going to want to pay attention to the color and the texture of the spice in a thread form. It should be bright red and brittle, and this will indicate that this spice is ideal and within ISO standards at around 190.

If you want the best saffron, it is best to avoid the powdered version, as this could in fact be mixed with other spices and it will not be pure.

When you get it home, you will want to store the saffron in a cool dark dry place. You need to keep this spice from moister as this will damage or ruin the spice before use.

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