Saffron in a jar

Saffron is a spice that is obtained from the stigmi of the flower of Crocus sativus, also known as real saffron, a plant of the family Iridacee, of which about 80 species are part, with flowers formed by 6 petals of intense violet color that pop up almost simultaneously with the leaves towards the middle or end of October and have a trifido stimma , 2-3 cm long: this, on the economic side, is the most interesting part because from it you get the well-known spice.

The harvest lasts for almost thirty days, always early in the morning: the sun, in fact, would make the flowers hatch making it easy, with manipulation, the deterioration of the stimmi.

We therefore have the touch, that is, the separation, strictly manual, of the stimmi from the flowers: this operation consists essentially in the extraction of red fillets from the glass.

They are then placed on sieves, then dried to the heat of the embers. In this way, its aroma and colouring power are particularly accentuated.

Just as information, to obtain a kg of fresh constipation you need about 60 kg of flowers which, after the drying process, are further reduced to only 200 gr.

Nutritional properties

There are about 150 volatile aromatic substances.

Saffron is one of the foods richest in carotenoids, such as zeaxanthyne, lycopene and many alpha-beta carotenes that play the role of formidable natural antioxidants.

The virtues as an excellent gastronomic seasoning are the happy result of the presence of three active ingredients: these, expertly combined by nature, make saffron capable of enhancing any dish and satisfying the most demanding palates.

They are: the crucible, with coloring power, picrocrocin, which has amharic power and the safranale that gives the classic aroma.

The characteristic yellow-gold color, which the spice gives to the dishes, is therefore due to the presence of α-crucible, a very particular compound: the simultaneous presence of glucose and crocetin gives the crucible the ability to be both water-soluble and hydrophobic, therefore oil-soluble.

The rich presence of B vitamins, especially B1 and B2, contributes to the metabolization of fats, thus making saffron an excellent digestive.

For such reasons, this spice could be compared to a long-lived elixir: it counteracts aging, stimulates metabolism, promotes digestive functions, reduces blood pressure and lowers the odds of cholesterol and triglycerides that are absorbed with nutrition.

Saffron has the great advantage of not adding fat and providing very few calories, in fact the caloric intake of this spice is practically nil: 1 sachet of 15 gr is equal to 0.4 kcal, for this, often, saffron is used in diets.

Modern medicine recognizes saffron as the stimulant property of the nervous system and, for external use, falls within the composition of honey-based preparations to be used for irritated and sore gums in general and during the dentition phase for young.

In the kitchen

Saffron is a precious and refined ingredient of cuisine, fundamental in dishes symbol of Mediterranean gastronomic traditions such as yellow or Milanese risotto, Spanish paella, Provennzal and Marsigliese bouillabaisse: it gives its best, therefore, in dishes based on rice, short pasta, crustaceans and seafood, stewed white meats such as poultry, rabbit and veal.

It is also indicated to enhance vegetable seasonings with a softer taste, such as those with zucchini or Treviso radicchio. Finally, just a pinch in the dough of leavened sweets, biscuits, creams or ice creams.