Saffron: what it is, how it is used, and what to watch for

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Saffron is the dried red stigma of an autumn-flowering crocus, and the most expensive spice on the market. A pinch colours and perfumes a whole dish, and herbal tradition has always asked a little more of it than flavour. Here is what saffron actually is, the uses tradition gives it, how to brew and cook with it, and when to leave it alone.

What it is credited with

• Old European herbals called it the “King of Plants” and the “Friend of the Lung”, and credited it with lifting the spirits — it had a reputation as the spice of joy.
• Traditional herbalism used it as a stimulant and aphrodisiac, and in other hands as a calming, sleep-friendly spice, depending on the amount used.
• It was traditionally taken to ease painful periods and to soothe a tickly cough.
• Naturopathy credits it with a restorative quality, used against tiredness and overwork, and after sport.
• It has a long reputation as an appetite stimulant that wakes up the stomach before a meal.
• Herbal tradition considers it a digestive and liver-friendly spice, which is why it appears in old after-dinner and morning-after preparations.
• In Chinese pharmacies saffron is a standard item, where it is traditionally used for abdominal discomfort and to encourage delayed periods.
• A folk use, still echoed in some commercial teething gels, was to rub the gums of teething babies with saffron syrup or diluted tincture. See the cautions box before going anywhere near this one.

How to use it

Saffron releases its colour and scent into warm liquid, never into cold. Give it time: fifteen minutes of steeping does more than any amount of stirring.

The infusion

• Count a small pinch of threads — three to five — per cup.
• Crush them lightly between your fingers, drop them into the cup, pour water that is hot but not boiling.
• Cover and steep 10 to 15 minutes; the liquid turns golden, not red.
• Traditional use is one cup after a meal, or one in the evening for its reputed calming effect. Two or three cups a day is the usual ceiling in herbal practice.
• Keep it to short runs of a few days rather than a permanent daily habit.

The “bloom”, for cooking

• Soak a pinch of threads in a tablespoon of warm water, stock or milk for 20 minutes to an hour.
• Pour the whole thing — liquid and threads — into the dish near the end of cooking.
• Long boiling flattens the aroma, so add it late.

Syrup and tincture

• Syrup: steep threads in a little hot water, strain, then dissolve sugar in the coloured liquid over low heat. Bottle and keep refrigerated for a few weeks.
• Tincture: threads left to macerate in spirit for two to three weeks in a dark cupboard, shaken now and then, then filtered. Used by the drop, diluted in water.

In the kitchen

• Fish is saffron’s natural partner: fish soup, bouillabaisse, paella.
• It also carries rice, chicken, mussels, cauliflower, honey desserts and milk puddings.
• A little goes very far. Too much turns a dish bitter and medicinal.

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: buy whole red threads, bloom a small pinch in warm liquid for twenty minutes, and treat saffron as a spice rather than a remedy.

How much saffron do I use for one cup of tea?

Three to five threads per cup is plenty. Crush them lightly, pour on hot but not boiling water, cover and leave for 10 to 15 minutes. Tradition keeps this to two or three cups a day at most, and for a few days at a time rather than indefinitely.

How can I tell real saffron from a fake?

Real saffron comes as whole threads, deep red and flared at one tip. Dropped into warm water they release a golden-yellow colour slowly over several minutes. Anything that bleeds red instantly, or arrives as a cheap powder, is almost certainly dyed safflower, turmeric or marigold.

Can I take saffron while pregnant?

Culinary pinches in a dish are the limit, and infusions, syrups and tinctures are best avoided entirely. Saffron has a long tradition of use to bring on delayed periods, which is exactly why herbalists set it aside during pregnancy. Ask a healthcare professional if in doubt.

Is it true saffron was used for teething babies?

Yes, folk practice rubbed the gums with saffron syrup or diluted tincture, and the idea survives in some commercial gels. It is not something to improvise at home: anything placed in an infant’s mouth should be cleared with a pharmacist or doctor first.

When is saffron harvested?

In mid-autumn, at dawn, on the very day each flower opens, because the bloom lasts only about 24 hours. The three red stigmas are pinched out by hand, dried on paper away from direct sunlight, then stored in an airtight container in the dark.

This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.