Saffron
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| Saffron crocus | |
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| A saffron crocus flower with red stigma. | |
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| Species: | C. sativus
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| Crocus sativus | |
Saffron (Template:Pron-en) (Persian: زَعْفَرَان) is a spice made from the stigma of the flower of the saffron plant. The spice is used in cooking as a seasoning and as a food coloring. It is native to Southwest Asia.[1][2] It is the world's most costly spice, and has been for a long time.[1][3]
Saffron has a bitter taste and smells like hay. This smell is caused by the chemicals picrocrocin and safranal.[4][5] Saffron also contains a dye, crocin, that gives food a rich golden colour. Saffron is a part of many foods from around the world, and is also used in medicine.
The word saffron comes from the 12th century Old French word safran, which comes from the Latin word safranum. Safranum is also related to the Italian zafferano and Spanish azafrán.[6] Safranum comes from the Arabic word DIN (أَصْفَر), which means "yellow".[5][7]
Other websites[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saffron. |
- Crocus sativus List of Chemicals (Dr. Duke's) Archived 2004-11-10 at the Wayback Machine
- REDIRECT Template:Culinary herbs and spices
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- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedHill_272 - ↑ Grigg 1974, p. 287
- ↑ Rau 1969, p. 53
- ↑ McGee 2004, p. 422
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedKatzer_2001 - ↑ Harper 2001
- ↑ Kumar, Vijaya (2006). The Secret Benefits of Spices and Condiments. Sterling. p. 103. ISBN 978-1-84557-585-4. Retrieved 2007-12-01. Search this book on
