Thanksgiving is behind us, and a wonderful memory of family
gatherings; delicious dinners and pie; and time off to sleep in, enjoy a fall
outing, and do a little online shopping. Christmas is comfortably ahead of us, with
plenty of time to shop, assemble Christmas boxes, and dream about all the good
things to cook and eat. As in past years, we're turning to Jan-Öjvind Swahn and
The Lore of Spices to learn about the plants that season our holiday meals.
This year I'm delving into spices from other cuisines that
have worked their way into our holiday meals. The first one is saffron, used to
flavor Spanish dishes, such as paella, southern French bouillabaisse, risotto, and couscous. Crocus sativus is in the Crocus genus of
the Iridaceae family. The stamen and filament are the flavoring agents, and are
harvested by hand (explaining its very high price).
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Botanical illustration of Crocus sativus
(published before 1923 and public domain in the United States)
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According to Swahn, the origin of saffron crocus is unknown,
but it was most likely on the steppes between the Aegean Sea and Turkey (it is
no longer found in the wild, only in cultivation). A Chinese medical book from
2600 BC contains the oldest reference to saffron for its ability to give strength
and stamina in love. An Egyptian medical text from 1500 BC refers to crocus
growing in the palace gardens at Luxor. Writings found in Mesopotamia refer to
saffron as a cooking ingredient. Saffron has also been used to dye fabric,
freshen the air, and combat alcohol poisoning.
Crocus is a corm with a tunic of parallel fibers attached at
the crown. Leaves grow as multiple spathes around the base. Flowers are large
and fragrant perianth segments in various colors, spreading 1.5 to 2 inches
long, and typically blooming in autumn. Anthers are white, and styles are yellow
to bright red, drooping over the anthers and perianth segments. The dried
stigmas of C. sativus are harvested
by hand during a two-week period, and dried for use.
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