Saffron is a spice known throughout the world, and history,
for its unique flavor, color and aroma. It is the world's most
precious spice, and with very good reason. Each Saffron
filament is one red stigma from the flower of the Crocus
Sativus plant, and there are only 3 stigmas per flower.

These flowers must first be hand picked, as a machine would
badly damage the stigmas, and then the extremely delicate
stigmas must be carefully pinched off by hand, taking care not
to break them. You would need to repeat this process for over
75,000 Crocus Sativus flowers to get only 1 pound of saffron
(and over 160 flowers to make up each of our Saffron Cook's
Kits - 1 gram).

So even though the properties of this exotic spice certainly
help to make saffron a precious commodity, it is the
painstaking and labor-intensive gathering process that makes
this spice so rare and valuable.

A Wee Bit of History

Saffron has been around since the ancient Greek and Roman
times, although cultivation in countries we now associate with
saffron production, such as Spain and Iran, began at differing
times throughout the centuries. Saffron crocuses originated as
a sacred flower of Crete, and according to Greek mythology, a
young man named Krokos (or Crocus) was transformed into
the saffron plant. There are a few different versions of this
myth, so I'm going to share the one I like the most :-) But if
you are interested in all sides of the story, you can read a very
informative article at:
http://www.paghat.com/saffronmyth.html

The story starts with a young mortal, Krokos, and the beautiful
nymph Smilax, who fell in love with each other. Unfortunately,
as with many Greek myths, tragedy had to be woven in, and
one day, young Krokos witnessed the death of his beloved
Smilax. The gods, seeing his unbearable grief, felt pity for
Krokos and turned him into a beautiful purple flower - the
saffron crocus - and transformed Smilax into a greenbriar
sarsparilla vine to grow nearby, so that they could be together
for eternity. (Isn't this account much better than the rejection,
despair and fury that make up the other versions? :-)

There are two forms of saffron - filaments and powdered. We
recommend you use filaments, unless you can grind your own
powdered saffron at home. Each type of saffron has its own
method of preparation and it's important to remember how to
use each one, as using it incorrectly is pretty much like
throwing down the sink (and that's expensive stuff to waste!).

Filaments

Before cooking with saffron filaments, you must first soak
them in a bit of warm liquid, typically water or milk. This
releases the chemicals that give saffron it's characteristic
aroma, flavor and color. However, this is a slow process and
saffron can continue to release for over 24 hours. If you don't
have time to leave it for hours, it is recommended that you
soak the filaments for at least 20 minutes before adding the
saffron liquid to your dish.

Most recipes will usually let you know how much water to use
for soaking, but if you come across one that doesn't - you'll
want to use 3 tablespoons of warm water for each teaspoon of
saffron filaments.

If you forgot to soak your saffron beforehand, don't simply
add your filaments to your dish - even if it has a fairly long
simmering time. This is because saffron absorbs flavors and
odors very easily. If you add it in before its had the chance to
release its own unique flavors and aroma, the ingredients
already in the dish will end up being absorbed into the saffron,
and you'll lose all of the unique properties of the saffron that
you wanted in the first place.

Powder

When a saffron thread is crushed, the chemicals mentioned
above are also released. This means that when cooking with
powdered saffron, you won't need to pre-soak it.
Unfortunately though, as these chemicals have been released,
the longer between when the saffron was ground and when
you use it, the less potent your saffron will be.

Another unfortunate issue with powdered saffron is that when
it's all ground up, you aren't able to see the individual strands
and can't be assured of the stigma-to-style ratio (i.e. you could
have 30% red stigmas with 70% yellow-styles that are dyed
red). If you are using powdered saffron, be sure to look for
the ISO certification mentioned in the next section.

Because of the time-saving elements (sometimes we just don't
have an extra half hour to soak our filaments), some people
prefer to only use powdered saffron. However, if you still want
the fresh and potent taste, flavor and aroma of saffron, you
can grind your own before cooking (if you don't have a mortar
and pestle, you can break the filaments up with your fingers -
although this may be a bit messy and will give you slightly less
powerful results than grinding)

Not all saffron is equal. The distinct qualities of this spice
actually come from the red stigma of the flower - not from any
other part. The stigma is attached to a yellow style, which has
no culinary value at all, but is often found in commercially
available saffron. Typically, the more yellow you see in your
saffron, the lower the quality and the less likely you will be to
reach your desired results. However, before you start throwing
away your saffron because you see a strand of yellow, there
are many factors involved in determining if a brand of saffron
is of good quality - so have a read through this section and
you'll soon be an expert on rooting out the quality saffron
from the dyed and adulterated stuff.

Origin

Depending on where your saffron was grown and harvested, it
could be perfectly normal to have the yellow style still
attached or it could be the first sign that your saffron isn't
quite up to snuff.

Iran - Saffron from Iran, the largest producer of saffron in the
world, is very thin and small in size and there are two basic
varieties. One contains only the red stigma with absolutely no
yellow style (this is a little pricier than most saffron), whereas
the other comes with the full style attached to the stigma and
tied in a bunch of several hundred.

India - Basically the same two varieties as Iran, but the second
variety, with the styles still attached, is of much better quality.
This is because the stigmas are very long and have a thick head
- so even though they both contain the unusable yellow styles,
the saffron from Kashmir has more volume of the valuable red
filaments.

Spain - Spanish saffron is very popular. All Spanish saffron has
the style attached to the stigma, and for the most part the red
stigmas should be joined in three's at the end by the yellow
style. The stigmas should be much longer than the style and
should be a vibrant red color.

Certification

This one's pretty straight forward. On some saffron packaging,
you might see "ISO 3632 category 1". This means that this
saffron has at least the minimum requirements set out by the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and
while it doesn't guarantee you're getting the best quality
saffron in the world, it does guarantee that your saffron will
give you the desired results in your cooking endeavors. The
minimum standard which ISO certified saffron must meet is
based on its coloring strength. This is the only method used
internationally to measure saffron's worth. The minimum
color strength required for ISO 3632 is 190, so if your saffron
has a color strength lower, you're probably not going to get
your money's worth.

Color Purity

Unfortunately, there is nothing to stop saffron producers from
making their saffron with only half true stigmas and the other
half made up of the yellow styles. There's also nothing to
prevent them from dying these yellow styles red to give the
appearance of quality saffron. Now if you come across a
saffron that seems too good to be true - it's all red and very
inexpensive - you're probably dealing with inferior saffron.
Remember to look for the ISO certification, which all quality
saffron will have. But if you bring it home and you're still not
so sure, here's a quick test:

When you first put quality saffron in liquid, the liquid will turn
a slightly pale yellow, and over time will turn the liquid a
stronger and more vibrant color. If your saffron immediately
turns the water a strong yellow, this is a sign your saffron was
artificially colored. What you are actually seeing is the dye
washing off your saffron.

Saffron has been used throughout history to help digestion,
increase appetite, reduce stomach aches, relieve tension, and
regulate women's menstruation. It has also been used in
treating diabetic patients, strengthening the heart and to
reduce inflammation. It is also believed to have aphrodisiac
properties and to help conception (I wonder which of these
discoveries came first - sounds like a chicken and the egg
situation to me!).

Saffron was also highly valued as a beauty aid, still used today
in natural face masks to treat Acne and certain other skin
diseases. There are a few companies out there who do sell a
face mask with saffron in it. If you'd like to make your own,
remember to only use very high quality saffron, or this could
actually be bad for the skin. To make the mask, add a few
strands of saffron to a pack of 150 grams of Multani Mitti (
Fuller's Earth), mix it well, refrigerate for half an hour and
then use it on your face. Keep it on for 20 minutes and then
wash your face with cold water.

(Thank you very much to Charishma Ramchandani who gave
me this information.)

For more about Multani Mitti, visit:
www.niam.com/corp-web/facebdypacks.htm

Visit the following site for another recipe to remove black
spots. (Thank you to Carol Hawk for this site)

www.webindia123.com/women/Beauty/Skin/skintip.htm#glow

Outrageously Good Paella Recipe
Serves 8

1 pouch Outrageously Good French Onion Soup Mix
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lb smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their juices
1/8 tsp saffron threads
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup converted rice
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 lobster tails, shelled and cut into pieces
16 little neck clams, discarding any with broken shells,
scrubbed
1 cup petite peas, fresh or frozen (defrosted)

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch saute pan that is at least 3 inches
deep over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook,
stirring, until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the
onion, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened
(3-4 minutes). Add the tomatoes and soup mix and bring to a
boil.

2. Add the saffron to the water to dissolve, then add the
saffron water to the pan. Stir in rice, cover and cook for 10
minutes.

3. Add the shrimp, lobster tails, and clams and cook for
another 10 minutes. Discard any of the clams that have not
opened. Stir in the peas, cover, and cook the paella for
another 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Looking for even more Paella recipes? Check out cooks.com - it's one of my favorite recipe sites and they list 126 different Paella recipes alone.
http://www.cooks.com - search word: Paella

1 cup arborio rice
1 lb fresh Black Tiger Shrimp
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/4 tsp saffron filaments

1. Add saffron to 1 tbsp of warm water and set aside.

2. Bring your chicken stock to a boiling point and have it
ready at stove side.

3. In a large skillet with a heavy bottom, heat oil over low heat
and saute onions until translucent. Add rice, stir to coat with
oil and saute with onions to toast each grain, approximately 7
minutes.

4. Once toasted, add white wine slowly, stirring with a wooden
spoon. Add saffron liquid.

5. Once the rice has absorbed the wine, add 1 cup chicken
stock, stirring occasionally. Continue adding stock as the rice
absorbs the liquid and the pot becomes dry, until all the stock
is absorbed (this process should take approx. 20 minutes).

6. With 2-3 minutes left, add the shrimp and cook until done.
Add the butter, Parmesan and heavy cream. Stir to combine
ingredients and serve immediately.

English Saffron Bread
Serves 15

1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp saffron threads
1/2 cup hot water
2 (.25 ounce) pkgs active dry yeast
2 eggs
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp grated lemon zest
6 cups all-purpose flour

1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then
remove from heat; add butter, sugar and stir until melted. Let
cool until lukewarm. In a small bowl, soak the saffron in the
hot water, let cool until lukewarm, drain and reserve the
liquid.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk mixture with the
reserved saffron water and eggs. Add the yeast and stir to
dissolve. Add the salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon zest and 4
cups of the flour; mix well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup
at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has
pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and
knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.

3. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl
and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise
in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

4. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured
surface. Divide the dough into three equal pieces, form into
14-inch long ropes. Braid the ropes together and place on a
lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let
rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 50-60 minutes or
until golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow
when tapped. Remove to a wire rack and cool.
Found on Allrecipes.com

Saffron Tea
Serve 4

3 cups water
1 1/2 cups fresh milk
12 saffron threads
2 cardamoms, crushed
2 tbsp tea powder (or 6 tea bags of your choice)
4 tsp sugar (adjust to taste)

1. Soak saffron for a few minutes in a little warm water, rub
well until dark golden color develops.

2. Heat the water, milk, cardamom and saffron in a pot until
the mixture comes to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add
tea powder (or bags) and boil again for a few minutes.

3. Strain into 4 teacups and add a few strands of saffron for
decoration (optional).

Orange Saffron Butter Cookies

1 1/8 cups flour
1 stick of butter, softened
2 pinches saffron threads, crushed
1/2 tbsp orange rind
1/3 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks

1. Work saffron and orange rind into butter. Blend in sugar,
then egg yolks, one at a time.

2. Add flour to form soft ball of dough. Cover and refrigerate
for at least 3 hours.

3. When ready to bake, remove dough from refrigerator to
soften slightly. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

4. Pinch off bite size pieces of dough and place on ungreased
cookie sheet. When sheet is full, press dough flat with back of
metal fork.

5. Bake 10 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Cool on
rack and store in an airtight container.

homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/aa011298.htm
Lots of information about saffron, some great links and tons of
recipes.

www.asiafood.org
If you type in saffron or click 'S', you'll find some information
and recipes on saffron. But I'm also directing you to this site
for the wide variety of information on various foods that you
may not necessarily think of using, but can make a delicious
addition to your meals.

www.gourmetsleuth.com/saffron.htm
This site really does have it all - information, recipes and even
a guide on how to grow your own saffron for those
adventurous gardeners out there.

***Saffron Health Benefits/Properties***

www.safinter.com/uses.htm

unitproj.library.ucla.edu/biomed/spice/index.cfm?displayID=22

www.cancerdecisions.com/010702.html
An interesting article on saffron and it's anti cancer
properties.

www.newhope.com/news.cfm?news=1561
An article from Healthnotes Newswire about possible anti-
depressant properties in saffron.

"Absolutely awesome products. I am not normally a fan of
packaged sauces and such, as they always seem to have a
"chemical" taste. However, all the products I have sampled
have a real, homemade taste. You've won me over!"
Judi Van Swieten, BC

"The Chicken Noodle soup was wonderful, my whole family
loved it even though it was fat free! Had the richest tasting
broth I have ever tasted and was so simple to cook."
Tami Stapleton, SC

"We tried the Creamy 3 Mushroom Soup and the instant
Chickeny Noodle and they are both incredibly delicious! My
husband would not believe the mushroom soup was from a
dried mix, so I had to show him the packet. He still thought I
'doctored it up' with more mushrooms! Fantastic products."
Jackie Harter, MI

"I Bought the Cream Of Broccoli Soup and I have to say that it
was the best tasting soup I have ever had!! And so easy to cook.
Thanks again for a great tasting soup!!
Leah Nutter, PA

"My husband and I tried your French Onion soup several times
now and we both rave about it. He hails from England and
states he's never tasted a better one short of homemade, and I
concur. We look forward to tasting your other soups. Thanks
and keep up the good cooking."
Marie Trudel-Kirwan, ON

"I especially enjoyed the night-time tea...great flavour! I drink
a lot of bedtime tea and this is by far the best. Thank you!"
Judy Bakker, ON

"I purchased some of your teas, and they are great! Absolutely
wonderful taste."
Melissa Davis, IL

"I just wanted to let you know that I have never tasted tea as
good as yours. The flavors are sublime. I just can't get over the
superior taste and quality."
Sharon Winkler, MI

"Great Tea - Loved it"
Cynthia Sundberg, ON

The Best Crock Pot Roast
"I add 1 level tablespoon of the Creamy Potato soup, 2-3 level
tablespoons of the Vegetable soup and 2 tablespoons of the
French Onion soup to a beef(or pork) roast in the crock pot,
along with water, vinegar or wine. Also a packet of the tomato
soup is good in there! The best crock pot roast you have ever
tasted!!"
Alene Weed, FL

Black Bean Cheesy Enchilada
"I added some black beans and corn to the Cheesy Enchilada
and it was better than homemade!"
Kerry Bateman, SC

"Fabulous!"
Christina Singer, NS

"Excellent...reminds me of good old homestyle cooking!"
Deborah Fisher, FL

"I love your instant soups - don't change"
Corinna Kamphuis, BC

Day 761 - Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving
around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded -
must try this at the top of the stairs.

Day 762 - Slept all day so that I could annoy my captors with
sleep depriving, incessant pleas for food at ungodly hours of
the night.

Day 765 - Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless
body, in attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of,
and to try and strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed
and condescended about what a good little cat I was...Hmmm.
Not working according to plan...

Day 768 - I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no
good reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time
however, it included a burning foamy chemical called
"shampoo." What sick minds could invent such a liquid. My
only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck between my
teeth and the tiny bit of flesh under my claws.

Day 771 - There was some sort of gathering of their
accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. I
overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of
"allergies". Must learn what this is and how to use it to my
advantage.

Day 774 - I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and
maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more
than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird, on
the other hand, has got to be an informant. He has mastered
their frightful tongue (something akin to mole speak) and
speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every
move. Due to his currant placement in the metal room, his
safety is assured.

But I can wait; It is only a matter of time...