By: Srishti Mishra, Noga Baruch,and Nathan Trivers

 Saffron- the dried yellow stigmas of the violet flowers of Crocus sativus, a member of the Iris family. The stigmas must be harvested by hand, and it takes 225,000 of them to make one pound of saffron.  Rich yellow color  Strong perfume  bitter honey-like taste  Taste is pleasantly spicy and bitter  The odor is tenacious

 Saffron is native to the Mediterranean and is grown in Spain, France, Portugal, India and Italy. Spain is considered the premium source of saffron. Its flavor is distinctive and agreeable in character.  Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. The ancient Assyrians used saffron for medicinal purposes. The Greeks and Romans used it to perfume their luxurious baths. The bright orange-yellow color also made saffron useful as a dye.

 History of saffron spices traces back over 4000 years and involves many civilizations, countries, and cultures.  Saffron began being used in the middle east and then branched out to conquer hearts worldwide.  It has been used as a food seasoning, perfume, hair and clothes dye, and as a medicinal herb.  Researchers have shown through historic documents that saffron has its origin in the Zargos mountain range in Iran

 Cultivation of saffron became prevalent in North Africa and Iranian ethnic groups played a very constructive role in conveyance and transfer of culture of planting and cultivating saffron.  Historical documentations and evidences indicate that from the old times, Iranians were deeply interested in cultivating and planting saffron eagerly.  Since its initial use at the beginning of its history, right up until today saffron spice has remained the most expensive spice known in the world.

 Saffron was quite popular among the Phoenician traders, who carried it wherever they traveled. The ancient Assyrians used saffron for medical purposes.  The saffron harvest from the town Soli, located on the Mediterranean coast, was the highest in value, especially for its use in fragrances and medicinal creams.  For some 4000 years people have been willing to buy saffron for very high prices due to the rarity of the spice. The rarity of the spice is directly linked to the labor intensive production process.

Saffron reached many places through many trade routes Mediterranean Silk Road European trade Indian Ocean trade

SocietyLanguageLiterature Arts & ArchitectureReligionIntellectual -saffron was used in Spanish cooking -to the Roman, saffron was a rare and wonderful ingredient. Wealthy Romans bathed in saffron, and poured it in their wine, used it as potpourri, and gave some to their deities. -in, there are celebrations of thanks for the saints that brought saffron. The name of the flower where saffron comes from, Crocus is from the Greek myth of Crocus and Smilax. Crocus loved and courted the nymph Smilax, but she tired of him and turned him into saffron. -saffron was mentioned in the Hebrew Tanach as a sweet- smelling spice. -mentioned often in Chinese medical texts. -in Greek art, saffron harvesting was portrayed in frescoes in 8 th century BC. It is often portrayed with a goddess supervising. -In, it was used for ablution in sacred temples. Both the Greek and the Egyptians believed it was an aphrodisiac -Sumerians used saffron for magic -Persians offered it to their gods -Kashmir (who lived in ) believed two saints gave them saffron. To this day at the end of autumn there are prays of thanks -saffron is the official color of Buddhist robes -it was used by the Greek to get over hangovers and to remove sleeplessness. -Arabs used It for medicine as an anesthetic. -it was used for perfume and ointment. -Greeks and Persian bathed in saffron because it healed wounds.

 Saffron is mainly used as a colorant and flavoring for cheeses, pastry, rice and seafood dishes.  Saffron is popularly used in spice blends for the following ethnic dishes from around the world: -paella: Spanish dish consisting of mainly rice and seafood -curry: a side dish that pairs well with rice; typically found in Asian countries - kheer: common Indian dessert -bouillabaisse: seafood stew

 Being sterile, the plant's purple flowers fail to produce viable seeds  Reproduction depends on human assistance  Corms - underground bulb-like starch-storing organs - must be dug up, broken apart, and replanted - survives for one season, reproducing via this division into up to ten "cormlets" that yield new plants

 Studies show that ultrasonication increased the extraction yield significantly and reduced the processing time.  Ultrasonication is the use of ultrasound waves to sonic ate material at high intensities to create bubbles in between the material being used  these bubbles will evntually build up to a point when they burst causing everything to collapse violently.

 Saffron was extremely expensive and mostly used by the rich for food, but mainly for decoration and to express their wealth.  It was sowed onto their clothes, poured in their wine, thrown around like potpourri, and they even bathed in it.  It was worth its weight in gold, therefore merchants often tried to steal it or to imitate it, or even adulterated it, make it impure, so it'll be cheaper and sold to a broader audience.  Government punished merchants who practiced this.  Henry the 8 th even threatened execution because he loved saffron so much

 Adulteration was first documented in Europe's Middle Ages.  when those found selling adulterated saffron were executed under the Safranschou code.  Currently, India has banned the export of high- grade saffron to countries abroad.  However the India-Pakistan conflict makes Kashmir an exception.  Kashmiri farmers combine the high-grade saffron with cheaper Iranian exports.  This has cost them much of their income.

 Saffron is a stigma from a flower that is highly prized for its unique taste, color, and other uses  It influenced various aspects throughout history including art, religion, and social structures.  Saffron was mostly used to divide the rich and the poor.

 Nathan: Slides 2-7 and Slide 9  Srishti: Slides 1, 11-15, 17, and 18  Noga: Slides 8-10, 13,16, and 18