Foods A-Z - S is for Saffron

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Saffron is a spice derived from the saffron crocus. The threads (the long orange-colored parts of the flower in the picture) are collected and dried and used mainly for seasoning and for coloring food and textiles. It has been used and traded for thousands of years. In the 21st century, Iran has produced 90% of the world's saffron; and at US$5,000 per kg (2.205 pounds) it is the world's most expensive spice. It is believed that saffron originated in Iran; but Greece and Mesopotamia have also been suggested as origins. Saffron-based pigments have been found in 50,000-year-old depictions of prehistoric places in northwest Iran. Saffron has been used in remedies, magic potions, dyes, perfumes, medicines, body washes and more over the centuries and in different areas of the world. Europeans introduced saffron to the Americas. By 1730 the Pennsylvania Dutch cultivated saffron throughout eastern Pennsylvania. Photo Credit: Pixabay