SAFFRON (Crocus sativus)

Each saffron crocus flower has 3 stigmas, it takes about 80,000 flowers (240,000) stigmas to make a pound of saffron. It takes an experienced picker about 12 days to pick this many. By the time saffron gets to retail stores, its cost is $600 to over $2000 per pound.

Let's face it, you want both quality and value in saffron. As a saffron lover you appreciate the totally unique and seductive flavor, aroma and color saffron lends to a wide range of dishes. You don't want to pay an arm and a leg for saffron's uniqueness. But saffron is sold in the U.S. in many different grades from several different countries at many different prices. What's a consumer to do? Get educated! There are only three criteria you must look for every time you buy saffron:

Saffron threads (Stigmas) are all red (no other color). Saffron threads must be dry and brittle to the touch. Saffron aroma is strong and fresh, never musty.

Keep these three criteria in mind every time you buy saffron. And do not be fooled into thinking that saffron's quality is tied to saffron's price. In other words, saffron's price is tied to how much saffron is harvested in a particular country and how many middlemen handle it before it reaches you.

There should be no other yellow or white plant parts (style) mixed in with the red threads (stigma), of the saffron crocus plant. This is the only part of the saffron crocus, which produces the saffron, the red stigmas. The way saffron-grading works is that the lower grades have more style left attached to the stigma.

As you examine the image on the left, you see that the stigmas are attached to a slender white style, which, when dried, turns pale yellow.

The Style of the saffron plant, has NO CULINARY VALUE, that means NO AROMA, FLAVOR or COLOR. If is left attached to the red stigmas, it adds 30% to 50% DEAD weight to the saffron, and you pay for it. Note it’s as long as 1 ¾ inches. When dry, it curls and you can hardly see it.

The answer is simple. Iran's saffron production comprises more than 95% of the entire world production and we buy directly from the saffron co-operatives. Small saffron production and a long chain of middlemen between the farmer and you are the main reasons for saffron's high price.

If you calculate saffron's per recipe cost you will see how affordable it is. Our Sargol saffron is pure, potent and aromatic and flavors a recipe to feed six for just thirty cents. At $35.95 an ounce (28.35 grams), you are paying $1.27 per gram (24 servings) or five cents per serving. So with just one gram of Sargol saffron you can give aromatic flavor and gorgeous yellow color to either four recipes different recipes or one dish large enough for a big group. And you do not need to worry about buying an ounce of Sargol saffron because it has a shelf life of several years. All you have to do is keep it sealed in the beautiful tin can it’s pack in and away from light.
Finally, a note about the difference between Sargol saffron threads and powder. Both are excellent. Both are easy to use. It comes down to personal preference. For maximum flexibility, choose the threads. This way you can prepare dishes which show off the whole threads and you can easily crush the threads into powder for maximum color diffusion in dishes where this may be particularly important.