Promise of Persia

The big yellow corrugated plastic packing box arrived by parcel post and was ushered into the house and up the stairs with great excitement and anticipation. 

The shipping labels in Persian script promised items of Eastern Delight. 

In the same way as sailing ships in past centuries brought to the UK exotic and fragrant herbs and spices we were in the import business, in our own small way. Well, that is not exactly true. 

A mother in Iran had sent the package by way of thank-you for our befriending and hosting of her son after his arrival in our city. 

The box was crammed full of multi-coloured small bags, unlabelled and so we had to rely on our sense of smell to identify their contents of authentic turmeric, blue flower petals, peppermint, dill, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, cardamom, dried black limes, dried rose petals and sumac. 

Other items nestling towards the bottom of the box were in their manufacturers wrappers but no easier to determine because of our ignorance of the old language. There were large rectangles of fruit flavoured gelatine strips, sugar bon-bons and of course Turkish Delight in huge gooey chunks with that distinctive light dusty coating. 

After the welcome gifts were unpacked and stacked on the dining room table the box was discarded but it was not actually empty. 

A small sachet was sticking out of the overlap of the bottom flap, nothing remarkable apart from the deep reddish colour of the strange looking strands visible through the clear panel. 

The contents were Saffron, the most expensive spice in the world. 

The reason for its high value? 

Well, the strands come from the inside of a crocus , a rare species that flowers only briefly in its fragile life cycle. It is a very special plant that cannot actually grow in the wild or reproduce without human intervention. The gorgeous purple flower is painstakingly propagated and harvested by hand, and only on the morning it blooms. Demanding such careful cultivation determines the kings ransom type price. 

There are other factors at play as well. 

The plant does not require a lot of water and favours a dry and sunny climate. A pedigree of growing knowledge is also essential, not just over a few generations but millennia. Iran, the old Persia, possesses all of these factors and consequently produces 85% of the global supply of Saffron. 

It has a very subtle flavour and aroma but we all have our own opinions on whether this is floral or earthy, sweet or pungent. Equally it is loved or loathed as an ingredient but savoury dishes such as chicken, paella, pilau and bouillabaisse and sweets and pastries including yeasted rolls, cakes, and pies would not be the same without it. 

It is necessary to steep the Saffron in water, stock, milk or white wine for about 30 minutes to draw out the rich, warm colour but be wary as the liquid is heavily staining if spilt on surfaces ,clothes or the body.

The price tag may be considered extortionate and as such may deter some from using it or in fact discovering the unique and authentic flavour in everyday recipes.

The legends of Saffron is deep rooted. In Ancient Egypt Cleopatra was said to bathe in saffron-infused mare’s milk before seeing a suitor. The Romans sprinkled Saffron around their homes and buildings as a deodorant. Minoan women used it to dye clothes and it was mixed with red ochre, tallow, and beeswax to make lipstick. Medieval monks found that mixing a primitive glue of egg whites and saffron created a yellow glaze that could stand in for gold in the production of their manuscripts.

As with many natural, organic plants Saffron has been used in medicinal applications and in the pre-antibiotics era has been prescribed to treat everything from heartache to haemorrhoids by traditional healers.

In the health and dietary constrictions of our modern lives some authoritative studies have shown that high levels of antioxidants found in Saffron may help ward off inflammation in the body and that it may be helpful in treating sexual dysfunction and contributing to improved mental wellbeing.

A bit pricey it may be but if you build into it the historic and cultural inheritance of centuries then Saffron is 

well worth the outlay for whatever you decide to do with it.