Spice Up Cooking with Saffron

Do you know what saffron is and how to use it? Learn more about this unusual spice here.

Have you ever saw a tin of saffron in the grocery store and wondered what it was or why it was so expensive? Saffron most often comes in threads which are the dried filaments, or stigmas, of a special variety of purple crocus (not the garden type of crocus we're used to). This special type of purple crocus produces only three filaments on each flower. Since these filaments are highly perishable, they cannot be harvested by machine and must instead by carefully picked by hand. In order to make one pound of saffron, over 225,000 crocus filaments must be harvested. Is it any wonder why saffron is the most expensive spice in the world?

You can use saffron in your cooking to flavor soups, rice dishes and other meat dishes, but just remember that a little bit goes a long way! To release saffron's wonderful bittersweet flavor and exotic aroma, crush it by rubbing the threads between your fingers before adding it to your dish.

This week, we'll head south to the Caribbean where you'll get to experience the flavors of Cuba with a recipe for Arroz con Pollo otherwise known as Rice with Chicken and a satisfying Tomato-Basil Bisque that is simple to prepare. Look for the recipes right here on Wednesday, July 5.