fourmations

hi all

i got a pack of spices from turkey from a friend
Im sure they are rubbish as its a "touristy" presentation

anyway theres a load of saffron powder in it
Out of curiousity, What would it be,

I use real saffron threads regularly
(if it was real saffron, it would cost hundreds)

rgds

n

sacha

Years since I've been there but the spice markets in Turkey are wonderful
and are a big attraction, yes. But it's very possible your saffron powder
is calendula (marigold) Apparently, it's better to buy the threads
precisely because the powder is so easily adulterated.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

waldo centini

fourmations surprised us with


Not all countries have the sophisticated modern and stylish design-packaging
as we have (he said ironically...).


If it is saffron powder, it is saffron powder. But most likely it is cur***a.


Real saffron costs (depending on the quality and its origin) about 5000 euro
a kilo.


--
Waldo

*** Is This A Dead Parrot I See Before Me ***
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waldo centini

Sacha surprised us with


Ah, yes. That too is a possibility.

--
Waldo

*** Is This A Dead Parrot I See Before Me ***
To respond through email remove removespam

anne chambers

Years ago, we bought 'saffron threads' in Sri Lanka. What we were shown
was the real thing - the beautifully wrapped package we were given was
coconut coir cut small !!

--
Anne Chambers, South Australia

phil c.

What colour is it? Proper saffron powder is from the stigmas
(stigmata?) - the female parts of the flower. It should be a reddish
colour. Cheapo saffron is mixed with the stamens (erm... stamina?) -
the male parts.
--
Phil C.

fourmations

looks like tumeric (maybe slighty redder)

rgds

phil c.

The stamens give the yellow colour - it sounds like a very low grade
if it is genuine saffron. A quick Google finds
<http://www.saffron.com/what.html>

<<The male part of the saffron flower, the stamens, are half the size
of the stigmas (See sketch below), they are deep yellow and have NO
culinary value. Unfortunately, they are sometimes added to the red
stigmas to increase the weight of commercial saffron. I have also seen
ground yellow stamens sold as powdered saffron. Legitimate powdered
saffron is red-orange and is made by grinding saffron stigmas. Under
no cir***stances would pure powdered saffron be any shade of yellow.>>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saffron> has more complex detail on
grades.
--
Phil C.

oxymel of squill

one of my granny's specials was Saffron Buns. They were yellow and yummy,
that's all I can remember, but I'm sure they weren't made with costly crocus
bits. Anyone have any idea what she might have used?

phil c.

She may have used some powder she bought that described itself as
"saffron". It's perfectly possible, though, that old saffron recipes
did actually use saffron. It was grown for dyeing cloth - hence
Saffron Walden. Picking a few flowers for stigmas for home cooking
wouldn't have been too burdensome - it's commercial production that's
expensive because each crocus only produces three stigmas.

Anybody tried growing it?
--
Phil C.