Saffron - what is it? Properties, application and cultivation of aromatic seasoning

To prepare a tasty dish, you need to have a few products, a little skill and, of course, fragrant spices. But what is better to choose and how to choose a spice correctly for a dish? So, saffron: what is it, when it is applied and how is this plant grown? I want to talk about all this now.

What it is?

The very concept of saffron is heard by many people, but hardly everyone has tried this seasoning. This is the most expensive spice in the world! No wonder they say that saffron is the king of spices and the spice of kings. It represents a kind of flowers of crocus (the saffron itself is the stigma of this plant), and the homeland considers the Middle East, Asia Minor and India. It is worth saying that the seasoning itself gives dishes a light golden color and incredible taste qualities, which can not be overemphasized. Interesting for many will be the fact that there have been stories and stories about saffron at all times. About him spoke Homer and Hippocrates, this spice was mentioned in the biblical Song of Songs and Egyptian papyri. Also, the collection of this plant was imprinted on various drawings, including on the walls of the Cretan Palace.

About growing

How do they get seasoning saffron? Growing the crocus flowers themselves is not an easy task. The best place for their growth is the slopes of hills and mountains. When the flower ripens, the workers go out to the fields to collect the stigmas of this plant from early morning until late. The high cost of this spice is due precisely to the fact that all this is exclusively manual work, which requires maximum strength and attention. It is not surprising, because in order to get only 1 kg of this spice, you need to grow about 70,000 flowers of crocus. The cost can vary from 500 to 700 dollars per 1 kg of spice. The most expensive is Greek saffron, followed by Iranian. This seasoning can be grown on the territory of our homeland, but this will be a very expensive project.

Wide application

Where can saffron be used? The use of this seasoning in cooking is only a small part of where it can still be useful. So, crocus-saffron has long been used as an excellent natural dye. They extracted mainly yellow and orange colors from it, painted the most expensive outfits, as well as blankets. As for the present, mainly as a dye saffron is used only in cooking, rarely - in expensive hair dyes. So, saffron: what is it - figured out, be sure to say that this seasoning (and the flower itself) is quite widely used at all times in medicine. Useful crocus saffron is for those who have problems with eyesight. Broths from this plant perfectly strengthen memory and even restore cells of the brain. At the same time, saffron is an excellent antidepressant, which has a soft effect and is not addictive. Crocus flower has been guarding women's health for many centuries, helping the urogenital system, normalizing the female cycle. Also, it is an excellent medicine for men's health, in addition, it's an aphrodisiac. Saffron by its nature is an antiseptic, an excellent analgesic and a generally restorative organism. A special oil from this seasoning - saffron - helps patients to fight cancer cells. Useful properties also spread to cosmetology . Saffron perfectly heals various small cracks, helps to straighten wrinkles and cope with acne. Also, the essential oil of seasoning is widely used in the production of expensive cosmetics, which is designed to rejuvenate the face of women. The saffron oil is also used in aromatherapy. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, soothing effect. Perhaps even the treatment with essential oil of this plant and from long protracted depressions.

Moderation!

Having dealt with the concept of saffron (what is it and where is this seasoning used), it is also worth mentioning about its peculiarities. So, use spice in a small amount, otherwise you can get not only poisoning, but also a nervous breakdown. Particular attention must be paid to people who suffer from hypertension. In this case, add saffron to the dishes you need in a very small amount. And pregnant women from this spice and it is better to give up. It is also important to say that saffron significantly enhances the effect of alcohol, namely, wine. In some of the most severe cases, excessive consumption of this spice can even lead to death, that is, to the death of a person.

About the choice

Despite its relevance in various areas, seasoning saffron is most widely used in cooking. However, to get this spice today is not so easy, because there are many fakes, which are not approximately analogous to this saffron. Obtain the best dried crocus stigmas, which have a dark red or brown color. Their size is also important: if the stigma is rather large, the buyer should be very alert. This will mean that for the volume in the seasoning added a little glycerin.

About the countries

In different countries, saffron has a different purpose. So, it should be said that in Europe and North America this spice is used mainly in the confectionery industry for baking cakes, cakes, cookies, sweets, jellies, etc. In the mysterious India, saffron is widely used for making desserts and yoghurts. For eastern countries, this spice is simply indispensable during the preparation of meat, rice and vegetable dishes. Also in Europe saffron is used in the preparation of expensive varieties of fish, giving them a special taste. Interesting for many, it may seem that this spice is perfectly combined with dairy products, greatly enhancing their taste, and also helping to assimilate them. Well, the last, where saffron is also used, is the alcohol industry. There, this spice is designed to give different liqueurs and cocktails a beautiful shade and a pleasant aroma.

Using

How correctly to use such spiciness, as saffron? Reviews of those who widely use it in cooking, help to understand that it is unacceptable to mix it with the rest of the herbs. The number of crocus stigmas when preparing a dish should be moderate, with this spice you can easily "overdo it", and the food will turn out to be completely unattractive and even to some extent harmful to health. It is worth mentioning that the saffron itself can be used not only in the form of stigmas, but also in the form of a yellow powder - this is for convenience the shredded version of it. It is also interesting that for preparation of powder mixture saffron soak in alcohol-containing mixtures or water, because it is so easier to normalize the amount of seasoning.

A few important points

To buy such a seasoning as saffron, it is necessary only from a trusted seller, because there are a lot of fakes. As for the price policy, saffron can be attributed to an expensive product. Store this spice in a hermetically sealed container. The temperature should be cool and the storage place dry. Use the spice is best for a year after its purchase. If the saffron is stored longer, it loses its flavor, and will not give the desired golden color to the dishes. Important is the fact that it is better not to collect this seasonal independently. After all, there are poisonous species of saffron. It is very interesting and important that when preparing dishes that are seasoned with saffron, do not use wooden spoons, because they absorb the aroma and taste of this spice well.

Meat and saffron

What it is and where this seasoning is applied, we have already figured out. Now it should be said that this spice is quite widely used in the vastness of our homeland. Well it is suitable for dishes where white meat is used, spice gives a beautiful golden tint and a crisp crust to the bird, and also to the fish. At the same time, the food seasoned with saffron remains low-calorie, almost dietary, but very, very tasty, and this is an important fact.

Application in Cooking

How else can you use saffron seasoning? Recipes of dishes with cooking can be as follows.

1. Before cooking saffron is better for 20-30 minutes soak in hot water or broth. Then add it to the dish in the required quantity.
2. It is good to use saffron in dishes with rice. Classics of its application is risotto.
3. This seasoning is perfectly combined with cereals, legumes, almonds, apples, cheese.
4. In small quantities, saffron can be mixed with thyme, cinnamon and rosemary. However, you need to do it masterfully, because saffron is the king of spices, the rest of the seasonings can only give a light taste to the dish.
5. This spice is widely spread in the eastern kitchen. Very well combined with fish and seafood.
6. Incredibly, there is also tea, which is prepared from saffron. It is called "cashmere" and is prepared by brewing and insisting a pinch of this spice in boiled water (several glasses).

amount

When using saffron, as already mentioned above, it is necessary to competently observe the proportions. After all, busting with this spice can lead not only to the spoiled taste of the dish, but sometimes also to some health problems. It is important to know when and how much to use this spice when preparing various dishes. So, it is necessary to add not more than 0.1 grams (at the moment of kneading or just before baking) to the cake. If you are preparing another dish, the maximum that you can take is four strings of saffron for 4 portions. If you translate this into grams, you will not get more than 125 mg.