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Hot News from Soup Central at E.D. Foods
                 June 3rd, 2005
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      Over a MILLION site visitors
Over 80,000 subscribers to this newsletter

 		TABLE OF CONTENTS:
                     For
            All you wanted to know 
             (And some you didn't)
                  About Saffron

A. Monthly Specials
B. Saffron Doesn't Grow on Trees (really...it doesn't!)
C. Cooking With Saffron
D. Will the Quality Saffron Please Come Down
E. It's Tasty and Good For You
F. Saffron Recipes
        Outrageously Good Paella
        Black Tiger Shrimp Risotto
        English Saffron Bread
        Saffron Tea
        Orange Saffron Butter Cookies
G. Saffron Sites
H. People Pleasing Soups
I. People Pleasing Tea
J. Customer's Recipes Corner
	The Best Crock-Pot Roast
	Black Bean Cheesy Enchilada
K. Short and Sweet 
L. Quote of the Month
M. The Secret Diary of a Cat

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A. Monthly Specials
*******************
Check out all our great deals and specials at:

U.S. Customers:
http://www.ed-foods.com/special.html

Canadian Customers:
http://www.ed-foods.com/special_C.html

******************************************************
B. Saffron Doesn't Grow on Trees (really...it doesn't!)
******************************************************

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? :-)

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C. Cooking With Saffron
************************
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)

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D. Will the Quality Saffron Please Come Down
**********************************************

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.

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E. It's Tasty and Good For You
******************************

I was going to do a larger section on the medicinal and beauty 
properties of saffron, but for the average person, you simply 
don't use enough of this powerful little spice to really have an 
effect. So, instead I'm going to list a few of the most common 
medicinal uses and if you'd like to read more, I'll put some 
more links in the saffron websites section.

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:
http://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)

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

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F. Saffron Recipes
******************
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Outrageously Good Paella
************************
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.

*******************************
Basic Black Tiger Shrimp Risotto
*******************************

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
*********
Serves 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.

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G. Saffron Sites
**************

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

http://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.

http://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.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Crocus+sativus&CAN=COMIND

http://www.safinter.com/uses.htm

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

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

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

***********************
H. People Pleasing Soups
***********************

"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

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I. People Pleasing Tea
*********************

"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

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J. Customer's Recipes Corner
*****************************
Have you cooked up something delicious and uniquely yours 
with one of our products? If so, we'd love to hear about it! 
Your recipe could appear in our next newsletter or even on 
our website. 
http://www.ed-foods.com/feedback.html 

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

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K. Short and Sweet 
*******************

"Quick, easy, healthy, and just yummy!"
     Stephanie Lathrum, AZ

"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

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L. Quote of the Month
***********************

"I really wanted to tell you how much I liked your creamy 
potato soup. It tastes just like homemade! I never thought soup 
mix could ever taste so good. Also, I really enjoyed the extra 
recipes and suggestions on the back of the instant soup 
packets: I'm going to have to try them! I also tried your Maple 
sugar candies, and I'm going to buy more as gifts. Thank you 
for bringing Canada to me!"
     K. Sim, CA

M.========The Last Word =======
======The Secret Diary of a Cat======

Day 752 - My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little 
dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am 
forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is 
the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from 
shredding the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may 
eat another house plant and cough it up on the carpeting.

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...

 ========================================
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friends. That's what makes the internet so much fun. And 
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Thanks again.

========= Well that's all for now folks ===========
Keep good things happening in your life, and we'll try to keep 
good things happening on our site!

************************************************************
              Leslie, Kelly, Denis
    (and all the other Folks at E.D. Foods)
                1-800-267-3333
              6200 Trans Canada
       Pte-Claire, QC H9R 1B9 Canada
         http://www.ed-foods.com
             mailto:edinfo@ed.ca
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********************************
(and the Folks at E.D. Foods)
 The Home of Simply Soup'r Soups!

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