O u r S a f f r o n
Saffron are the carefully dried pistil threads of the "Crocus sativus". Each thread is the same in appearance, has a bitter taste and maintains a strong odour that is found exclusively in the red part of the pistil threads. An impressive 190 flowers are needed to produce a single gram of saffron, all hand-picked at ground-level, making it a labour-intensive harvest.
Saffron is known as the red gold spice, and is used in cooking to add a seductive aroma and golden yellow hue to a variety of dishes.
Highly regarded in the area of medicine, saffron can benefit patients with a heart condition or iron deficiency, and many other diseases.
More than ninety percent of the world's saffron comes from Persia, and saffron comes in three qualities: Pushal, Sargol and Negin.
Zargoush saffron is of the Negin quality.
How to extract colour or aroma from saffron
To extract vibrant colour and aroma:
Saffron contributes a luminous, yellow-orange colouring to foods. To extract colour, take a pinch of saffron threads and drop them into a small glass with one or two ice cubes. Let the ice dissolve and your saffron liquid is ready to be used for any kind of dish.
For extraordinary aroma and colour:
If the aroma is the first priority for your dish, take a pinch of saffron threads and put them in a small (heatproof) glass with a bit of warm water. Let sit for a minimum of 15 minutes, and your saffron liquid is ready to be used for any kind of dish.
For both processes, we recommend adding the saffron liquid just before the end of the cooking process.