Saffron : The World's Most Expensive Spice

When asked about the world's most expensive food, most people imagine products such as caviar, oysters, or truffles.

However, none of these foods comes close to saffron, the world's priciest  and most precious spice.

But just what makes saffron so valuable?

Saffron comes from a flower called the crocus sativus.

It is actually the long red stamens of the flower.

After they have been dried, they can be added to food or infused in tea.

Each saffron flower blooms for only one week of the year and produces only three stamens, which must be picked carefully by hand.

Because such a small part of the flower is used, about 82,000 saffron flowers are needed to produce just 500 grams of spice.

Adding to this difficulty is the flower's weather preference.

The delicate flower grows only in dry, sunny climates.

As a consequence, cultivation is fairly restricted.

Today the flower is primarily grown in Iran, Greece, Morocco, and India, with 90 percent of the world's supply coming from Iran.

However, as Iran currently faces severe trade restrictions worldwide, buyers are forced to compete over an extremely limited supply.

The result is a spice that can cost anywhere between 10,000 and 13,000 won per gram.

Historically, saffron has played a major role in the Middle Eastern and European cultures.

The spice was used for medical purposes by the ancient Assyrians and as perfume by the ancient Greeks and Romans.

In fact, the Egyptian queen Cleopatra used saffron in her baths in order to enhance her powers of seduction.

Today, saffron is used primarily as a seasoning in various cuisines around the world.

Its subtle and fragrant aroma can be tasted in dishes such as Spanish paella and Moroccan tagines.

Although it may be expensive, a taste of saffron is well worth the price.

 

• caviar ˈkæviɑː(r) 캐비아(어류, 특히 철갑상어 알을 소금에 절인 것)  oyster ˈɔɪstə 굴   truffle ˈtrʌfl 송로(松露: 값비싼 버섯의 일종)  But just 하지만 그냥

• stamen ˈsteɪmən  (꽃의) 수술   infuse ɪnˈfjuːz   (찻잎 등을[이]) 우리다[우러나다] (속속들이) 스미다[영향을 미치다]   preference ˈprefrəns 선호(도), 애호

• delicate ˈdelɪkət 연약한, 여린, 다치기[부서지기] 쉬운 (=fragile)  섬세한, 우아한  fairly ˈferli   상당히, 꽤 , 공정[타당]하게, 정직하게  primarily praɪˈmerəli 주로 (=chiefly)

• be forced to 할 수 밖에 없다  ~하도록 강요 당하다  forced  강제적인, 강요된   force 물리력, 폭력 (물리적으로 나타나는) 힘  anywhere 어디든, 아무데나

• play a major role in ~에서 중요한 역할을 하다  enhance ɪn|hæns  (좋은 점·가치·지위를) 높이다[향상시키다]  seduction sɪˈdʌkʃn 유혹[매력](적인 점·요소), (=enticement)

• subtle ˈsʌtl 미묘한, 감지하기 힘든, 절묘한   fragrant ˈfreɪɡrənt 향기로운, 향긋한   paella paɪˈelə  파엘라  tagine təˈʒiːn 타진(고기와 야채로 만든 스튜의 일종)