iran tops the world in the production of saffron.
which country tops the world in the production of saffron?
iran
saffron is not all of the same quality and strength. strength is related to several factors including the amount of style picked along with the red stigma. age of the saffron is also a factor. more style included means the saffron is less strong gram for gram, because the colour and flavour are concentrated in the red stigmas. saffron from iran, spain and kashmir is classified into various grades according to the relative amounts of red stigma and yellow styles it contains. grades of iranian saffron are: "sargol" (red stigma tips only, strongest grade), "pushal" or "pushali" (red stigmas plus some yellow style, lower strength), "bunch" saffron (red stigmas plus large amount of yellow style, presented in a tiny bundle like a miniature wheatsheaf) and "konge" (yellow style only, claimed to have aroma but with very little, if any, colouring potential). grades of spanish saffron are "coupé" (the strongest grade, like iranian sargol), "mancha" (like iranian pushal), and in order of further decreasing strength "rio", "standard" and "sierra" saffron. the word "mancha" in the spanish classification can have two meanings: a general grade of saffron or a very high quality spanish-grown saffron from a specific geographical origin. real spanish-grown la mancha saffron has pdo protected status and this is displayed on the product packaging. spanish growers fought hard for protected status because they felt that imports of iranian saffron re-packaged in spain and sold as "spanish mancha saffron" were undermining the genuine la mancha brand. similar was the case in kashmir where imported iranian saffron is mixed with local saffron and sold as "kashmir brand" at a higher price. in kashmir, saffron is mostly classified into two main categories called "mongra" (stigma alone) and "lachha" (stigmas attached with parts of the style). countries producing less saffron do not have specialised words for different grades and may only produce one grade. artisan producers in europe and new zealand have offset their higher labour charges for saffron harvesting by targeting quality, only offering extremely high grade saffron.
saffron
in ancient persia, saffron ("crocus sativus" 'hausknechtii') was cultivated at derbena and isfahan in the 10th century bc. there, persian saffron threads have been found interwoven into ancient persian royal carpets and funeral shrouds. saffron was used by ancient persian worshippers as a ritual offering to their deities, and as a brilliant yellow dye, perfume, and a medicine. thus, saffron threads would be scattered across beds and mixed into hot teas as a curative for bouts of melancholy. indeed, persian saffron threads, used to spice foods and teas, were widely suspected by foreigners of being a drugging agent and an aphrodisiac. these fears grew to forewarn travelers to abstain from eating saffron-laced persian cuisine. in addition, persian saffron was dissolved in water with sandalwood to use as a body wash after heavy work and perspiration under the hot persian sun. later, persian saffron was heavily used by alexander the great and his forces during their asian campaigns. they mixed saffron into teas and dined on saffron rice. alexander personally used saffron sprinkled in warm bath water, taking after cyrus the great. much like cyrus, he believed it would heal his many wounds, and his faith in saffron grew with each treatment. he even recommended saffron baths for the ordinary men under him. the greek soldiers, taken with saffron's perceived curative properties, continued the practice after they returned to macedonia.
history of saffron