More often than not, it’s the herbs and spices in a dish that makes a wine pairing taste so good. Pairing with herbs and spices is easy to do when you know how to pick out individual flavors in wine. For example, one of the dominant aromas in Barbera (a medium-bodied red wine) is anise. And, when you pair Barbera with a star anise and soy-glazed chicken you find it to be surprisingly delicious!
Saffron is a spice with a strong fragrance and distinctive color. The spice is also rich in antioxidants, which may have many health benefits. Early evidence suggests that saffron may boost mood, increase libido, and fight oxidative stress. Saffron is generally safe for most people to consume, and it is very simple to add it to the diet. Saffron has so many uses, and in some parts of the world, it is added to coffee to make a delightful beverage. Read more
Saffron is a plant from the lily family that is difficult to cultivate and harvest. Saffron is an expensive spice because it is harvested manually in certain months of the year And is known as the king of spices. This expensive spice also has many benefits, especially for the skin and hair.
Iran Is the biggest saffron producer in world. Saffron production in Iran this year is 500 tons, which is 402 tons last year and 96 tons has been added to saffron production in Iran. The area under saffron cultivation in Iran this year is 188 thousand hectares, which was 115 thousand hectares last year. This shows that the main reason for the increase of 96 tons of saffron this year is the increase in yield.
Spain harvests about 1.5 tons of saffron a year, but its exports are about 90 tons; this means exporting Iranian saffron with its own brand. Last year, 122,000 hectares of saffron were planted in the world, of which 115,000 hectares belonged to Iran. Performance and production of saffron per hectare in all countries is on average 4 kg, but it is 3.3 kg in Iran. if the conditions and cultivation are done properly and practically, 20 kilos of saffron will be harvested per hectare.
*Please note that all of these statistics are approximate.
The method of drying saffron has a great effect on the quality and value of the final product. In different countries and regions, saffron is dried in different ways. The special and extraordinary aroma of saffron is produced during drying due to the hydrolysis of picrocrocin compounds and the release of safranal.