DOP Aquila Saffron from Navelli (powder)

DOP Aquila Saffron from Navelli (powder) Review

DOP Aquila Saffron from Navelli (powder) Feature

• Saffron powder from prized variety from Abruzzo
• Produced by Cooperativa Agricola Navelli
• Greatly enhances the flavor of risotti and bouillabasse
• Dissolve in hot water before adding to your dishes
• packet of 3 envelopes, each containing 1 gr - 0.03 oz

Saffron is among the most precious of spices. It is in fact just the tip of the pistil of the violet colored saffron flower (the reddish strands of which you can make out in the picture) - the Crocus Sativus, portrayed in masterly fashion by our friend Patrick Lachassagne, responsible for the photo: thank you, Patrick - that gives us this aromatic substance with the capacity to create the characteristic color and flavor of risotto, fish soups, desserts and liquors... An essentially oriental aroma, originating in Asia Minor, and produced for a number of centuries in certain demarcated areas of Italy such as the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany, and, above all, in the Abruzzo. This particular example, from the Navelli plain in Abruzzo is saffron par excellence; the most prized and certainly the most famous in the world. Saffron arrived in Abruzzo from Andalusia via the Domenican friars sometime between the 13th and 14th centuries. At around the same time, the Benedictines introduced it into Tuscany. Production of Navelli saffron demands an extraordinary degree of attention and dedication. This is immediately obvious when you consider that both harvesting and production, as undertaken by the Altopiano Cooperative of Navelli, is done by hand. It takes around two hundred thousand flowers to yield one kilo of saffron stamens. The most highly rated Navelli saffron for all culinary uses is in the form of stamens or strands. This has the highest component of aroma and flavor, but requires a little effort before use, in that it needs to be soaked in very hot water. The Navelli saffron is indispensable for a great Milanese-style risotto, or for an aromatic and elegant bouillabaisse, the famous fish soup from Marseilles. (It is also terrific, of course in home made fish soup).