the spice specialist - grow spices

Saffron as used as a spice is merely the dried red stamen seen in the centre of the flower to the left. Hard though it may be to believe for a spice so closely associated with the Mediterranean, it has historically been grown for centuries in the UK in areas like Cornwall and East Anglia where its legacy lives on in place names such as Saffron Walden in Essex and the famous saffron cakes of Cornwall. Saffron seems to grow best in areas with relatively extreme climates, particularly hot, dry summers such as Spain and Iran but having said that it is still possible to grow it in this country (I currently have some growing in pots on my balcony in Bath!). Once planted any time from May to September, the bulbs quickly send up long shoots that look like grass or chives which die off during the winter. A fairly unexciting period over the next summer then ensues when it's critical that the bulbs are kept very dry or they will rot if watered too regularly. The autumn sees some more action as new green shoots are produced which lead to beautiful flowers around October. This is the crucial time as the flowers only last for a short time and you need to carefully pluck the 3 stamen from each flower almost as soon as it appears. Dry the stamen slowly and carefully in a warm dry place (by a radiator for instance).